


Superfleet Academy

by fiveainley_ohmy



Series: Superfleet Academy [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, F/M, Fake Dating, Goth!Uhura, Human!Spock, Jock!Sulu, M/M, Nerd!Spock, Sky High AU, Steampunk!Scotty, Tsundere Uhura XDDDD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:28:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveainley_ohmy/pseuds/fiveainley_ohmy
Summary: High school is already rough enough. But imagine going to a high school for kids with superpowers...and you have none.





	1. Origin Story (Prologue)

_15 years ago..._

“Hello? _Hello?!_ Whoever’s trapped us here is going to be sorry!”

“There is no logic in shouting to our captors, Admiral,” said the Ambassador calmly. The superhero and his sidekick were hanging by chains from the roof of a dim warehouse. “I believe these devices around our wrists are meant to neutralize superpowers. As soon as I break free, we shall escape this place and find out who has captured us.”

“No need. I’m right here,” said a metallic voice. A figure in a suit of metal tech armor, armed with a large ray gun of some kind emerged from the shadows. “Greetings, Ambassador. And...Ambassador’s sidekick.”

“I’m _Admiral_ ,” grumbled the other man, struggling against his chains.

“Whatever.”

“Nexus,” Ambassador observed. “I should have suspected.”

“You always were a naive fool, Ambassador,” Nexus said. “But now, you will witness the unveiling of my greatest weapon yet.” The supervillain raised his ray gun. “Gentlemen...meet the Bjorn.”

“Fascinating,” said Ambassador dryly.

“Let us go now, Nexus, and we’ll be lenient on you,” Admiral added.

Nexus chuckled darkly. “You’re in no position to make ultimatums, Admiral. You’ve got no weapons, no escape, and no hope.”

“No,” Ambassador agreed. “But we do have _her_.”

“What?”

Suddenly a caped figure came hurtling through the window, shards of glass crashing to the concrete ground. Nexus instinctively swung the barrel of the weapon toward her, but the flying woman deflected it easily and knocked him backwards into a pile of crates.

The woman flipped her hair out of her face and smiled at the Ambassador. “Sorry I’m late, sweetie.”

“On the contrary,” Ambassador said, a small smile forming on his lips. “You’re right on time.”

“Aviatrix!” Admiral looked at Ambassador. “You didn’t tell me you called back-up.”

“There is a hidden button in my suit with a GPS chip that alerts Aviatrix if I’m in danger,” Ambassador told him. He looked at Aviatrix and gestured with his wrist device. “My wife, if you would be so kind...”

“Of course.” She flew up to them and pressed the button on the device. It released the Ambassador’s wrists, and the superhero reached up and snapped the iron chain he was suspended from with a slight squeeze of his fingers. He dropped to the ground, leaving a large dent in the concrete. Aviatrix drifted over to Admiral and did the same, helping him to the ground, since he wasn’t super strong or indestructible like his partner.

“Should you be fighting crime in your condition, cuz?” Admiral asked Aviatrix as they lighted on the ground.

“Today’s my last day. I’ve started showing.” Aviatrix ran a hand over the slight swell of her stomach, smiling. She looked up at Admiral. “We found out the sex yesterday. You’re having a nephew.”

“Nice,” Admiral said, smiling. “Got a name in mind yet? ‘Cause I won’t be offended if you name him Chris...”

“I think one Christopher is enough for now,” Ambassador said, lightly jesting him. “We were considering ‘Spock’, actually. It’s an old family name of mine.”

“Spock? That’s certainly...unusual.” Admiral grinned at the Ambassador. “Then again, so is Sare-”

“DUCK!” exclaimed Aviatrix, shooting upward. The two men just managed to dodge a beam from Nexus’s Bjorn.

“Admiral, take cover!” Ambassador ordered as Nexus marched toward him, powering up for another blast. He jumped into the air and slammed his fist in the ground. The entire floor shook, sending Nexus stumbling and falling over. Aviatrix dove down and pounced on Nexus. They rolled across the floor as Aviatrix tried to disarm him.

“Stop!” roared Nexus. “This is an incredibly delicate instrument. If it-!”

Suddenly the gun broke in Nexus’s hands. “Uh oh,” he said.

Aviatrix backed away quickly, and Ambassador rushed forward to shield himself and her with his cape. The gun exploded with a loud blast and a plume of fire.

Ambassador lowered his cape, and Admiral peeped out from behind the steel barrels he’d ducked behind. The three heroes stared at the broken, charred remains of the gun on the ground, and the smoldering cape beside it--all that remained of Nexus.

“A pity,” said Ambassador. “If Nexus had devoted his scientific genius to good instead of evil, he would have been a great asset to humanity.”

Aviatrix took her husband’s hand. “Let’s go home.”

“Indeed.” Ambassador bent down and took the remains of the Bjorn. “For the display in the Sanctum.”

“You boys and your toys,” Aviatrix laughed as they turned away and started striding out, unaware of the lump in Nexus’s cape, which had started to wriggle...


	2. Freshman Orientation

_Present Day_

There was a heavy weight on Spock Grayson today. Figuratively, that is. But then, the first day of high school is stressful for everyone. Especially if you’re going to a special academy for people with superhuman abilities. And most especially if your parents are the legendary superheroes, the Ambassador and the Aviatrix. Spock knew that when he went to school, he would be seen as a legacy. He’d rather just be invisible.

The literal weight was hovering over his face. Spock swallowed and raised his arms, gripping the bar. He braced himself and pushed up.

The bar barely moved.

Spock pushed harder. The weights shifted about a centimeter, but other than that, no results. Spock panted from exerting himself, dropping his arms.

He sat up, sighing in defeating, just as his father opened the door. “Spock, breakfast is ready,” said Sarek Grayson. “Oh. I see you are exercising.”

“It’s alright. I am ready for a break,” Spock lied. “200 repetitions should be enough for one morning.”

“Indeed.” Sarek sat down on Spock’s bed and idly picked one of his 500 pound weights, spinning it in his hands like it weighted nothing. “My son, I must tell you how proud I am that you are attending my alma mater. Superfleet Academy is the finest school in the world for budding superheroes. I want you to know that you needn’t be nervous. You will succeed.”

“How can you be so sure?” Spock asked.

Sarek looked at him with pride. “Because you are my son,” he answered simply.

Spock forced himself to smile.

“Now, come downstairs and eat. You’ll need your energy today.” Sarek rose and headed for the door. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He casually tossed the weight back to Spock, who caught it against his chest; it knocked the wind out of him. Spock grunted as his door swung shut, and he dropped to the ground weakly, the floorboard groaning loudly beneath their combined bulk.

Everyone believed Spock had super strength like his father, since he was so much like him. He was serious and thoughtful, and he had his brown eyes. But Spock had a secret.

He had no superpowers at all.

* * *

Amanda Grayson looked up curiously as the ceiling in the kitchen above her head suddenly creaked loudly. After a moment she shook her head, then turned back to her cooking. The back door swung open and a boy with honey-colored hair let himself in. “Morning, Mrs. Grayson,” he said cheerfully.

“I’ve told you, Jim, you can call me Amanda. You and Spock have been best friends since you were practically in diapers,” Amanda said smiling. “How are you always so happy in the mornings, anyway?”

“It’s easy. I get a full night of sleep. I wake up whenever I want, then I just backtrack a few hours so I’m on time,” Jim said, sitting down at the breakfast table.

“You be careful with that. You could cause a paradox, and we don’t really need a rip in the space/time continuum,” Amanda said, pushing some food onto his plate.

“Don’t worry, _Amanda_. My mom went all _Beyond Scared Straight_ with me on quantum astrophysical mechanics when I started causing temporal anomalies when I was eleven. I never meddle with the stream of time...unless I’ve got a paper due.” Jim grinned.

Spock came tromping down the stairs, his hair tastefully messy and his eyeliner sharp as a knife, as usual. He was wearing a deep blue sweater over a white shirt, and tan chinos. Jim smiled at the sight of his best friend. “Mornin’, Spock,” he said, his tone going softer.

“Hi,” Spock mumbled, looking less than happy. Jim pursed his lips, worried. So Sarek and Amanda still didn’t know, then. It couldn’t be long till they found out...

Spock sat next to him and Amanda put a bowl of oatmeal in front of him. “I added brown sugar,” she said, kissing his temple.

“Thank you, Mom.” Spock picked up his spoon, but didn’t eat anything.

Jim cleared his throat. “First day of high school. Can’t believe we made it, right, buddy?”

Spock hummed vaguely.

“He’s nervous,” Amanda said, lightly rubbing her son’s shoulders. “He’s been quiet all this past week.” Amanda smiled down at him. “Baby, I’m telling you. One week at Superfleet and you’ll wish you’d gone there your whole life.”

Spock nodded, again forcing a smile. “Yes, Mom.”

She sighed, striding over to the fridge to get the orange juice. “I can’t believe it. You boys are going to _high school._ It feels like just yesterday you were swimming naked in the kiddie pool.”

 _“Mom!”_ Spock hissed, blushing. Jim laughed awkwardly, staring down at his eggs.

Sarek came striding into the kitchen suddenly, all business. “Amanda, the television. Channel 6. Now.”

Amanda grabbed the remote and switched the TV on, turning it to the news. A woman in a helicopter was reporting above the city. _“...been rampaging through uptown all morning, Jerry. It appears to be about fifty feet tall. No one knows who built it or why, but its function is clear: to destroy, and cause mayhem.”_

The camera swung around to a large robot stomping through the buildings. Amanda and Sarek looked at each other. “Sanctum,” they said simultaneously.

Jim looked at Spock questioningly. Spock raised his eyebrows pointedly. Jim’s eyes widened and his lips formed into a small ‘o’.

“Damn,” Amanda swore softly. “I really wanted to see the boys off the school...oh, Spock, honey, don’t forget your lunch.”

“Yes, Mom.”

“And if you miss the bus home, make sure you give me a call and I’ll fly over and pick you up.”

 _“Yes,_ Mom.”

“And if-”

_“Mother!”_

“Oh alright!” Amanda gave him another quick kiss and dashed out of the room.

“One last thing, Spock.” Sarek looked at him. “Most of the other students will only have _one_ superpowered parent, unlike you, who have two. Do try not to act superior about it.”

“Believe me, Father, that will not be an issue.”

“Good. Good luck, son.”

 _“Sarek!”_ Amanda shouted from the other room. Sarek obediently rushed out.

Spock turned back to Jim. “There’s no chance of people having no idea who I am at school, is there?”

Jim smiled sympathetically. “Sorry, buddy. As soon as they hear the name Grayson, you’ll be the school celebrity.”

Spock groaned. “This must be how Harry Potter felt when he went to Hogwarts.”

“It could be worse. Your parents could be super _villains_.”

“I’d settle for that. People would hate me, but at least they’d leave me alone.”

 _“I’ve just gotten word that the Ambassador and the Aviatrix are on their way uptown,”_ reported the studio anchor on the TV.

“What are you gonna do when you get to school?” Jim said. “You really think you’re gonna be able to keep up your super strength charade when you’re literally going to a school for learning how to use super powers?”

“You think I haven’t thought of that?” Spock said. “It was a complete surprise last week when my parents told me that they’d sent the Academy an application for me, _and_ that I’d gotten accepted.”

“I mean, come on, you had to _know._ Your folks have been talking about you going to that school since you were a fetus, right?”

“I’d been avoiding the topic. You know I am famously bad at confrontation.”

“And at telling the truth, and at noticing things that are right in front of you...”

Spock blinked at him. “What’s right in front of me?”

“Oh! Uh...” Jim blushed. “Nothing, that was just a general...comment...” He became very interested in his hashbrowns.

Spock heard a loud, mechanical groan on the TV and looked up to see the robot falling to the ground with a large dent in its chest--obviously his father’s work. He sighed, sipping his orange juice. “They certainly have skills,” he muttered.

“Come on,” said Jim, patting his arm. “Don’t wanna miss the bus.”

Spock smiled. “You’re eager.”

“Hell yeah I am! This is the beginning of our careers of saving mankind. And womankind. Peoplekind.”

“Don’t forget the rainforest,” Spock teased him, putting on his backpack.

“Of course!”

* * *

A silvery-white school bus with the word “ENTERPRISE” on the side pulled up to the sidewalk and the door swung open. “Morning,” said the driver, a guy about their age, giving them a wide grin.

“Hello,” said Spock, climbing on board. “Is this the bus to Superflee-”

 _“SHHHHHHHH!”_ the driver exclaimed, quickly shutting the door behind Jim’s butt. He glared at Spock. “I suppose you want every supervillain in the neighborhood to know we’re here!” he barked.

“No! I’m sorry,” said Spock, flushing.

The driver squinted at him suspiciously. “What’s your name, freshman?”

“Er...Spock Grayson?”

The driver’s eyes widened, and his expression changed to one of admiration. “The son of the Ambassador and the Aviatrix?” he loudly whispered.

The ambient buzzing of the bus faded immediately, and every eye was trained on Spock.

 _So it begins,_ Spock groaned inwardly.

The driver stood up. “It’s a honor to meet you. I’m Hikaru Sulu, Bus Driver,” he said energetically.

“Hi,” said Spock, awkwardly shaking his hand. Then suddenly Sulu threw his arm around Spock, dug his phone out of his pocket, and took a quick selfie.

“That’s my new lock screen. I _gotta_ send this to my boyfriend,” said Sulu, grinning at the photo. “If you need anything, anything at all, just let me know.” Sulu handed him a business card with his phone number on it. Then he looked at the two kids in the seat directly behind his driver’s seat. “You two--get up. The seat behind Hikaru Sulu belongs to Spock Grayson.”

“Oh, that’s unnecessary-”

“No, no, I vant to!” chirped the boy, standing up. He had a distinct Russian accent. “I vould be honored.” He looked down at the girl beside him. “Nyota, geet up!”

“Why?” said Nyota. She was dressed in all black and purple, and had a purple streak in her hair. “He only needs one seat.”

“So he can seet vith his friend.”

“Yep,” said Jim quietly. “Just friends. That’s all.”

“Really, it’s fine. I think I see some open seats in the back. Come on, Jim.”

Spock made his way through the aisle, trying to avoid people’s gazes. He supposed he’d better get used to the staring.

The bus rolled forward as Spock and Jim took their seats. “That was...interesting,” Jim said.

“Why was the bus driver so young? He must be high school age himself,” Spock commented.

“I dunno. I figure that’s not the weirdest thing we’ll encounter today,” Jim predicted. “I don’t even need time travel powers to see that.”

The bus made an abrupt stop and everyone jerked forward. Spock and Jim’s foreheads thumped against the back of the seat in front of them. “Sorry!” Sulu called back, opening the door for the next passenger.

“Spock! G’mornin’!” called a thick Scottish accent as Spock and Jim’s friend Montgomery “Scotty” Scott made his way to the back. He slipped into the seat behind them.

“Hi, Scotty,” Spock said.

“How was spending summer back home?” Jim added.

“Right good,” Scotty replied. “Though it’s good to be back in the States. I’ll admit, I was a wee bit concerned when August hit and nothing had er, _developed_.”

“Oh...so, your powers haven’t come in yet?” Spock said, a faint hope rising that he wouldn’t be the only embarrassment today.

“Ah no, a couple days ago, I woke up...an’ _KABLAM!”_ Scotty slapped his palm.

“Cool,” said Jim. “So...what is it?”

“Ach, thas’ a surprise,” Scotty grinned, leaning back in his seat proudly. “But it’s quite somethin’. You’ll see.”

The bus came to another screeching halt to let someone on. “That’s the last one,” said Sulu, looking back and grinning at them. “Next stop...Superfleet Academy!”


	3. Power Placement

“Where are we?” Jim said, looking out the window. They had driven to the outskirts of the city, and were now speeding across an overpass.

Suddenly seatbelts sprung out of the seats, tying everyone down. “What the-?!” Scotty exclaimed.

“Hold on tight back there,” called Hikaru. He leered ahead mischievously. “We’re going _off road.”_

Spock looked ahead. They were speeding toward a large road sign that said “DANGER: ROAD ENDS AHEAD.”

“Uh yeah, I sure hope it _doesn’t!”_ Jim exclaimed.

“Here we go!” Hikaru crowed.

Spock squeezed his eyes shut, grabbing Jim’s hand instinctively and squeezing it tight.

The sign fell back as the bus whizzed past and dove off the end of the road, and began plummeting down toward the city yards below.

“AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!” the students screamed.

Hikaru paused for a second, then pulled another lever. The bug sprout airplane wings and rocket boosters. They took off into the sky with a mighty boom and soared into the clouds.

Everyone screamed again, but this time in amazement rather than terror. “WHOOOOOOOOO!” they cried, lifting their arms over their heads with glee.

Hikaru scoffed. “Freshmen.”

They flew through the sky till something appeared through the clouds: a school floating on a hovering platform. “Whoa...” Jim whispered.

“There she is, kiddos. Superfleet Academy. Your home for the next four years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.”

“You go to Superfleet?” Spock said to him.

“Yup! I’m a graduating senior. This whole bus driving gig is a special scholarship plan with the school.”

The bus slowed down and began to touch down on the runway in front of the building. “Smooth...and...easy...”

The school bus abruptly landed, everyone jostling and bouncing in their seats. “Sorry,” said Hikaru again as the kids began to file out.

Spock and Jim began to stand up, but then they both realized they were still holding hands. Spock quickly let go. “Sorry. The descent of the bus...”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Jim, smiling up at him. “I didn’t mind.”

“Have a good first day, freshmen. Don’t miss the bus because the bus waits for no man...except you, Spock Grayson!” Hikary announced loudly as Spock made his way past him. “Call me if you run late...or you know...if you just wanna chat.” Hikaru clicked his tongue, finger-gunning him.

Spock smiled weakly. “Thanks, Hikaru.”

He couldn’t walk away fast enough. “Damn. First day and you already have fanboys,” Jim chuckled, hurrying to keep up with him.

“I just want to blend in. Is that so much to ask?”

“Your parents are celebrities and you’re hot as hell to boot. I wouldn’t put much hope in ‘blending in’.”

“You think I’m...hot?” Spock said curiously.

“Oh shit!” Jim exclaimed, ducking behind Spock. “It’s Janice!”

“Janice Rand?”

“No, Janice Lester, my insane ex!”

“Where?” Spock looked across the field and saw a set of cheerleaders shouting welcome chants to incoming freshmen. Spock squinted at them, trying to determine if one of them was Janice. They all strangely looked alike. “Wait...they’re _all_ Janice,” he realized.

“Her superpower would have to be cloning,” Jim groaned. “Hide me till we get past her. I mean, them. I mean...just hide me.”

Spock, taking pity on Jim made sure to shield him with his body till they were safely past Janice and her copies and they pooled with the rest of the group.

Suddenly, a blur of color zipped past them, encircling the gang of freshmen and trapping them together. The blur came to a halt before them--it was a burly guy with blonde hair. “Hey! Freshmen!” he called.

Another guy with dark hair slithered into view, somersaulting down the school steps with his elastic-like limbs. “Well, well, well. New meat. I guess we should give them the official school greeting. I’m Gary Mitchell, this is Sean Finnegan. And as representatives of the ‘Superfleet Academy Welcoming Committee’...”

“We’d be happy to collect that $15 new student fee,” said Sean with a nasty smirk as Gary’s arm stretched over to the freshmen and stopped right under the Russian guy’s nose.

“Um...” The Russian guy swallowed. “Zere vas no mention of a new student fee in ze handbook?”

“Getting an early start on the freshman hazing this year, I see, boys,” said a British voice as a boy with high cheekbones and spiky hair so blonde it looked white approached. He was wearing a long, stylish black coat. He smiled warmly at the newcomers with striking blue eyes. “Ignore them, they’re terrible pests.”

“Pfft. Whatever,” grumbled Sean as he and Gary skulked away.

“Now that they’re gone...greetings, brand new students, and welcome to your first day at Superfleet Academy. My name is T.S. Elliot, and I’m your student body president,” said the British guy. “Now, I’d like to inform you about some rules regarding safety here at the school...”

“T.S. Elliot...doesn’t that name sound familiar to you?” Spock whispered to Jim.

“Hm...maybe.”

“...if you’ll follow those simple rules, I promise you, you will not fall off the edge of the school.” T.S. smiled and the group laughed. Spock realized he had missed the entire lecture.

“Now, please follow me, I’ll take you on the tour of the campus, then and you’ll begin orientation immediately.” T.S. turned on his heel and began striding up the stairs, and the group followed behind.

* * *

After the tour, T.S. led them into the gym and passed out nametags to stick to their shirts. A podium was already set up and waiting for them. As T.S. left the gym, suddenly a flash of white light swept over their heads, causing everyone to gasp and duck. It was like a small comet made a light. The comet flew behind the podium and took the form of a woman in a white blazer and skirt. “Good morning,” she said. “I am Principal Georgiou, and on behalf all the faculty and staff, welcome to Superfleet Academy. You’ll learn many things during your time here, like how to control and use your powers. But mostly, you’ll learn about yourselves: how you want to affect the world with your abilities. We merely teach you how to use the tools--what you make with them is up to you. Now, in a moment, you will go through Power Placement...”

“What’s Power Placement?” Spock whispered to Jim.

“I don’t know, but it sounds like a fancy term for ‘social caste system’,” Jim mumbled back.

“Power Placement is vhen zey decide vhezzer you are hero or sidekeeck,” the short Russian guy helpfully provided.

“What did I tell you?” Jim grumbled.

“Hero or sidekick. More like popular kids or _losers_ ,” Nyota added.

“...for now, good deeds, and good luck. Let the adventure begin,” Principal Georgiou said. With a flash, she transformed back into a comet and flew out of the room, as a bulky man with a five o’clock shadow and greasy grey hair, dressed as a gym teacher, crossed the court toward them, climbing up onto a rising platform in the center of the polished wood floor.

“Listen up, fish,” the gym teacher barked. “My name is Coach Decker. And yes, I used to be known as Decibel. Call me that, and I will make the next four years of your life a living hell. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about Power Placement. Here’s how it’s works. You will step up here and demonstrate your power. Yes, in front of the entire class. Then I decide where you will be assigned. Hero...or sidekick. Wherever I put you, that is the end of it. No whining, no bargaining, no nothing. Are we clear?”

The freshmen mumbled vaguely.

“I said...are. We. **_CLEAR????_** ”

Coach Decker’s voice suddenly blasted so loudly that it broke the sound barrier and the students were blown backward by the force of the vibrations. It was obvious to see why he’d been called Decibel. “Yes, Coach Decker!” the freshman shouted fearfully.

Decker blew his whistle. “Let’s begin!” He pointed to a short, skinny guy. “You! Name.”

“J-j-julian, sir,” the boy tammered.

“ _Little Julian_ ,” said Decker mockingly. “Get up here!”

Julian scurried timidly up onto the platform with Decker. “What’s he trying to prove, humiliating him like this?” Jim hissed to Spock. “This is so unfair.”

“If life were to suddenly get fair, I very much doubt it would happen in high school,” Spock muttered back.

Decker looked expectantly at Julian. “Well?”

Julian curled his arms in on himself, flexing what little muscles he had. He began to growl. “Rrrrrr _rrrraugh!_ ” Suddenly Julian morphed into a giant, his body comprised entirely of stone.

The freshmen gasped. No one had seen _that_ coming.

Decker held up a remote. “Car,” he said, pressing a button.

Suddenly a trapdoor in the ceiling opened and a car attached to a cable descended from the ceiling. Stone Julian caught it with ease.

Decker nodded, semi-impressed. “ _Big_ Julian. Hero!” He marked it down on his clipboard. Then he pointed at Scotty. “You! Next!”

Scotty looked at the others and grinned mostly confidently. “Here we go.” He ascended the stairs and stood beside the coach. “Name’s Montgomery Scott, Coach. Now, prepare to be amazed!” He turned to the scoreboard on the wall, glowing 11:30 in big red letters. Scotty closed his eyes and held out his palm toward it. Suddenly the numbers started to flash, and the buzzer went off.

“Oh, so you’re a technopath,” said Decker.

“Well, ach, no’ exactly. I cannae _control_ technology...but I can persuade it. Sometimes. I talk to machines,” Scotty explained proudly.

Decker rolled his eyes, writing on his clipboard. “Should’ve just said you’re a technopath. Sidekick.”

Scotty’s mouth dropped open. “Sir, I protest-!”

“ ** _SIDEKICK!!!_** ” Decker boomed, blowing Scotty off the platform. He pointed at the Russian kid. “You! Front and center!”

The Russian guy quickly scuttled up the steps. “Hello, I am Pavel Chekov, and may I say, eet ees an honor to meet-”

“Is that your power?” Decker said impatiently. “Brown nosing?”

“Oh, er, sorry, sir.” Pavel brought his arms to his sides and closed his eyes. A second later, his entire body turn to liquid, and he melted onto the floor in a puddle.

“Sayyy,” said Decker, leaning over him. “That’s pretty impressive...for a Popsicle! Sidekick!”

Decker ran through nearly the entire rooster, proclaim people as heroes and sidekicks. He was extremely harsh, and Spock wondered what he’d say when he finally called on Spock and found out the truth.

“Goth chick! Let’s go.”

Nyota rolled her eyes and stepped up onto the platform, arms firmly crossed over her chest. “What’s your schtick?” Decker asked.

“Shapeshifting.”

“Alright. Shift it.”

Nyota sighed and her body transformed into a small, sleek, black cat with a violet streak running through its fur.

“A cat?” Decker said incredulously.

“ _Yup_ ,” Nyota meowed.

“Not even like...a lion or a panther or something?”

“ _Nope_.”

“Well unless you encounter a villain with allergies to dander, you’re pretty much useless. Sidekick.”

“ _Bite me_ ,” Nyota said as she crawled away.

Decker looked out and spotted Jim. “You. Golden boy. Let’s go.”

“Uhhh, actually...I’m really not supposed to use my powers unless absolutely necessary. The universe could kinda go kerblooey,” Jim said.

“I’ll take the risk. Up here, hot shot.”

“I really don’t think it’d be a good idea. And besides, I think the whole hero/sidekick dichotomy only serves to-”

“Let me get this straight. You’re _refusing_ to show me your power?”

“Well, it’s a little more complicated than that-”

“ ** _Sidekick!_** ” Decker declared. Just then, the bell rang. “Alright, that’s lunch. We’ll pick back up after that...” He pointed his pen at Spock. “Starting with _you_.”

Spock swallowed.


	4. The Secret Sanctum

_“The cafeteria staff would like to remind the sidekicks to stop ordering hero sandwiches..._ ” the intercom announced above the buzzing cafeteria. Spock and Jim walked with their trays over to where Scotty, Nyota, and Pavel had saved them a table. They sat down, and suddenly another figure plopped down beside them. “Hi!” said Hikaru brightly. “So this is where Spock Grayson sits.”

“Oh, hello again, Hikaru,” said Spock. “Are you having a good day back so far?”

“Oh yeah. I’m really excited for my fencing class. But what about you? Let me guess, they made you a hero without even testing your power, right? Since you are a legacy, after all.”

Spock smiled strainedly. “I should be so lucky. I actually haven’t been tested yet.”

“And what about the rest of you?” Hikaru said, looking at the others.

“ _Sidekicks_ ,” they said in unison.

“Jim here stood up to the Man, though. He refused to show his powers on principle. It was very non-conformist,” Nyota said appreciatively.

Jim smiled a little. “Thanks.”

Scotty cleared his throat. “Yeah, well...I woulda stood up too, but I figured it would be even more of a demonstration o’ protest to show my powers.”

Nyota blinked at him. “How.”

“Erm...I dunno.” Scotty blushed at his tater tots.

“Vat ees your power, anyvay?” Pavel asked Jim.

“I...can manipulate time,” Jim admitted. “I can travel through it, freeze it, make it slow down or forward. I’m kind of like Doctor Who meets Zack Morris from _Saved By The Bell_.”

“Zat ees so cool!” Pavel exclaimed.

“Yeah, but like I said, it’s a touchy power. I have to be careful not to cause paradoxes, you know?” Jim twirled a fork through his spaghetti.

Spock squinted at him suspiciously, about to say something, but then felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Spock slowly looked over his shoulder and saw a boy sitting at another table, dressed in all black, glowing at him with cold blue eyes.

Spock turned back. “That person over there is glaring at me,” he said.

Scotty looked up and spied the boy in black. “Oh no...thas’ _Leonard McCoy_.”

“Who?” Spock said.

“I hear zey call heem ‘ _Bones_ ’ because of all ze bones he’s broken fighting vis people,” Pavel whispered. “And I don’t mean _his_.”

“That’s a tiny bit cool,” Nyota commented.

“Wait, so you like bad boys then?” Scotty said to her.

“ _Why_ is this ‘Bones’ staring at me?” Spock hissed.

“His mom's a hero and his dad's a supervillain,” Jim explained. “The Ambassador was the one who busted him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Spock said.

Jim shrugged defensively. “It never came up.”

“They gave his da’ the quadruple life sentence,”  Scotty added. “No chance o’ parole ‘til after his third life.”

Spock set his fork down by his salad. “This is just wonderful. My first day at the Academy, and I already have an arch enemy...is he still looking?”

“No,” said Jim, not even checking.

“No?”

“No.”

Spock risked another glance...and again met that fiery glare. He scowled at Jim. “I thought you said he wasn’t looking.”

* * *

On the way back to the gym, Spock, Jim, Scotty, and Nyota bumped into none other than T.S. again. The senior gave Spock a friendly smile. “Spock Grayson,” he said.

Spock tilted his head in confusion. “Ah, you are telepathic?”

“No. I read your nametag.” T.S. pointed to Spock’s chest.

“Oh, yes,” Spock said, looking down, blushing again. “Um, and these are my friends. Scotty, Nyota, and Jim.”

“Pleasure to meet you all,” said T.S He looked at Jim. “That’s a dashing shirt you’ve got on.” He refocused on Spock. “So how is Power Placement going?”

“Er...it is going well,” Spock lied.

“Wonderful. Well, I’m putting together the homecoming committee and I need a freshman representative. Do you think you’d be interested? We could talk about it over lunch tomorrow.”

“I...like lunch,” Spock said awkwardly.

T.S. chuckled. “It’s a date then. I’ll see you then.”

Jim frowned as he walked away. “I don’t think he really liked my shirt.”

“Hey, where’s Pavel?” Nyota said.

“He said he needed to use the lil’ boys’ room,” Scotty said.

Suddenly Pavel appeared, hair and face sopping wet. Gary and Sean passed by, snickering and high fiving. “Er, zank you for ze svirly,” said Pavel timidly.

“Jerks,” Jim huffed, leading the short boy away. “Come on, Pav, let’s get you dried off before gym starts back up.”

Sean and Gary rounded on Spock. “So what do you say, Grayson?” said Gary.

“Yeah. Wanna help us bring some pain to the sidekicks this year?” Sean snickered.

“Erm...it’s an interesting proposal,” Spock said nervously.

Gary and Sean snorted. They both clapped Spock on the shoulder as they passed by him. “Catch you later, Grayson.”

Spock had a very bad feeling forming in his stomach, and he would venture to guess that it had nothing to do with his lunch.

* * *

Power Placement resumed and Spock stood before his classmates. He nervously held his hands behind his back.

“Any day now, superstar,” Decker said.

Spock bit his lip. Then he leaned toward Decker and whispered in his ear.

“What do you _mean_ you don’t know what your power is?” Decker repeated loudly.

Spock slapped his palm against his face.

“Oh, I see. Yeah, your mom was a joker too. But I’m willing to bet you take more from your dad’s side.” Decker punched a button on his remote. “ _Car_.”

Spock had barely a moment’s notice before diving flat to the ground, the car landing over him. The tip of Spock’s nose was just barely touching the undercarriage.

“I do _not_ have super strength!” he cried, panting.

The car slowly ascended back into the ceiling, and Spock shakily got to his feet. “Ah, alright,” said Decker. “So you fly then. Should’ve just said so.” He punched another button on his control and the section of the platform Spock was standing suddenly launched him through the air. Spock’s body landed with a thud on the bleachers, and he rolled down a few steps. He’d be black and blue tomorrow.

“Kid, c’mon, quit messin’ around. What’s your power?” Decker said.

Spock lifted his head, panting hard. The wind had been knocked out of him from the impact. “I don’t have one,” he finally said aloud. Everyone but Jim and Decker gasped.

Decker shook his head. “Grayson... **_SIIIIIIIIIIIIII_** ** _IIIIIIIIIIIDE...KICK!_** ”

Decker’s bellow echoed throughout the school so loudly that the windows in Hikaru’s bus shattered, all the way outside in the parking lot.

* * *

Nurse Chapel stared at Spock’s ribs through her x-ray vision. “Well...nothing seems to be broken.” She smiled encouragingly.

“Except for the fact that I don’t have any powers,” Spock said. The secret was finally out. He looked up at the nurse. “You haven’t...called my parents, have you?”

“As if I want to be the one to tell the Ambassador his son doesn’t have any powers?” Chapel said, half laughing as she handed Spock a lollipop for his troubles. Then she turned serious. “It’s entirely possible that you’re just a late bloomer, you know.”

“How many students honestly don’t get their powers until after they’ve enrolled at Superfleet Academy?” Spock grilled her.

“Honestly? There have been a few. Not many, but a few. You could get one of their powers, or both.”

“But _when_?”

Chapel bit her lip. “The kids who get bit by radioactive insects...or fall into a vat of toxic waste--their powers usually show up by the next day. If they don’t die. But it’s impossible to say when you’re inheriting from a parent. It’s always a crapshoot.”

“But I _will_ get powers...right?”

Chapel looked at him, then grabbed another lollipop, as well as a tongue depressor. “You see...most people look at superpowers like genetics. For example, if your mom is blonde and your dad has brown hair, it’s pretty much a fifty/fifty chance of getting either or, in the simplest of terms. But if you have two blonde parents, then it’s an almost certainty that the offspring will be blonde as well... _almost_.” She sat on her stool in front of him. “Most people with powers are the offspring of _one_ superpowered parent...” Chapel gestured with her lollipop. “And one ordinary parent.” The tongue depressor. “But there are cases, rare, yet not unheard of...” Chapel took the lollipop from Spock’s hand and traded it for the tongue depressor. “Where the child of _two_ super-powered parents.. _never_...acquires any powers...whatsoever.”

Spock stared at the plain, ordinary stick in his hand. “You know of such a case?” he said.

“Well, just one...Hikaru Sulu, Bus Driver.”

Spock looked up. “But he’s a student here.”

Chapel nodded. “He is. He was allowed under very special circumstances. His parents have almost as much clout in the hero community as yours do.”

“So, what then? If my powers don’t ever come in, they’ll make me a janitor?”

“Oh, don’t give up so soon, dear. Like I said, it’s _very_ uncommon. You still could just be a late bloomer.”

Spock nodded silently. Then he stood up. “Thank you very much, Nurse Chapel. Good evening.” He walked toward the door, dropping the tongue depressor in the garbage bin before leaving.

* * *

Spock came home, feeling weary and broken. To have to wait for his powers when all his friends and peers had theirs was bad enough. But the possibility that they might never come in at all?

“Welcome home, my son,” said Sarek as Spock walked through the door, his voice bleeding with pride. He was carrying a large robotic eye—no doubt from his earlier triumph that morning. “How was your day?”

“Long,” Spock answered. It was the truth.

“Come with me into my office. There is something I have been waiting to show you.”

Spock put down his bookbag and followed his father into the study. Sarek stepped over to the bookcase and pulled out a certain tome. The bookcase began to slide aside to reveal a secret metal door. Spock’s eyes widened. “Dad...is this the entrance to-?”

“The Secret Sanctum? Indeed. It’s time.” Sarek gestured to the bioscan panel on the door. “Go ahead. I added your biometrics this morning.”

Spock eyed the panel, then put his hand against it. The panel scanned his handprint, then turned green, and the door slid open, revealing two long poles leading down into the Sanctum below. Spock started to reach for one, but Sarek stopped him. “Spock...you must promise me one thing. You must never ever bring _anyone_ into the Secret Sanctum. Not Jim, not anyone. Promise me this, my son.”

Spock nodded. “Yes. I promise.”

Sarek nodded, then gestured to the poles. Spock gripped one. Sarek took hold of the other, and they slid down into the underground chamber.

The Sanctum was impressive, full of high tech equipment and shelves full of books. Spock inspected the spine of a few: _Uberman: The First Superhero. Darwin’s Theory Of Super-Evolution. Captain Patriot Vs The Axis Powers. Second-Wave Feminism And The Rise Of The Female Superhero. The Sociopolitical Implications Of Heroes, Sidekicks, And Villains In The 21st Century._

”Spock. Come here.”

Spock crossed the chamber. Sarek was standing by a car covered in a tarp. He pulled it off to reveal...

”The Ambassador’s Carriage,” Spock said in awe, running a hand over the blue and silver hood. “You haven’t used this car since the ‘90s. I am surprised you still have it.”

”When I joined forces with your mother, it was unnecessary, so I decided to preserve it down here. For emergencies, of course.”

The warmth in Sarek’s voice told Spock that it was probably out of a sense of nostalgia more than anything. But Spock didn’t address it.

”Now _this_ is truly intriguing. Follow me.” Sarek led Spock to a series of short pillars—trophy pedestals, each one holding a different artifact from a different battle. Sarek pointed a few of them out. "The Spear of the Hogman. Orion's Belt...Nexus's Bjorn." Sarek placed his latest trophy, the robot eye, onto an empty spot. "Spoils of the greatest battles fought by our mother and me. But soon...there will be a new addition to the archive."

Sarek pointed to an empty pedestal in the center, with the name "Spock Grayson" engraved on its placard.

Sarek squeezed his shoulders briefly, the closest he and his son ever came to hugging. "I am proud of you, my son," he said.

Spock could only silently smile back.

* * *

Spock stared somberly out at the stars as he sat against the windowsill of his old treehouse, the one he and Jim had played in so many times as children. They'd pretended to be superheroes like their parents...but it seemed that was all Spock would ever do, apparently.

"Hey, you." Jim was crawling up into the treehouse. "Everything okay? Decker gave you a pretty good workout today."

Spock nodded bitterly. "The nurse said I was fine...and she also said I might never get any powers at all. Some genetic thing with children of superpowers couples."

"Spock..." Jim touched his shoulder.

"I couldn't tell my father. I just couldn't bear disappointing him. He was so excited when I got home that he showed me the Secret Sanctum. I'd never been inside before. He expects so much of me...and I'll never live up to his expectations."

"Spock, you seriously think you're the  _only_ person in the world who never lived up to his parents' expectations? You're gonna be  _fine_. Who cares if you never get superpowers?"

"Easy for you to say. Your powers came in before your first chest hair."

Jim laughed quietly.

Spock looked at him. "Why  _did_ you hold back today, anyway? You  _love_ showing off. You could've been made a hero easily."

Jim shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care about labels. Besides..." Jim smiled shyly at him. "If I was a hero and you were a sidekick, we'd never get to see each other."

Spock smiled too, leaning toward him and rested his head against Jim's shoulder. Jim wrapped an arm around him and leaned his cheek on top of his head.


	5. Hero Support

It was the first day of class for the freshmen. Spock and Jim, as well as Scotty, Nyota, and Chekov, sat in a cluster in their homeroom, Hero Support. A man with blue eyes and salt-and-pepper hair entered. “Good morning, class,” he said, crossing to the desk at the front of the room. “My name is-”

“Uncle Chris?” Spock blurted in surprise.

Christopher Pike smiled. “Just Professor in the classroom, kiddo.”

Oh _no_. Uncle Chris was going to tell his parents he was a sidekick for sure, and then it wouldn’t be long until the truth came out...

Pike, however, seemed completely unfazed by Spock’s presence. He straightened his spine and looked out at everyone. “Welcome to Hero Support. I’m Professor Pike--just like the fish. I was previously known as the Admiral, former sidekick to the Ambassador.”

Spock raised his hand. “I didn’t know you were Dad’s sidekick.”

“How do you think he met your mom?” Pike replied. “Anyway, I retired from the hero bizz not long after you were born, and the Aviatrix became his full time partner. Principal Georgiou offered me a gig--and here I am.”

He leaned on the desk and looked each one of them in the eye, ending with Spock. “Now listen to me, and listen good. Because no matter what anyone says--what Coach Decker tells you, what your classmates tell you, what your parents tell you, even what you tell yourselves: being hero support is a noble profession. There is nothing wrong with you for being placed in sidekick class. After all, where would doctors be without nurses? What’s more, this is a _hard_ job. You have to do as much work as the heroes do, sometimes more, with none of the glory that comes with their jobs. But at the end of the day, you’re saving lives. You’re protecting people. You’re keeping the peace. You should be able to hold your head up high and say: ‘I am hero support.’”

The sidekicks all looked at each other, all sitting up a bit straighter in their seats than before.

Pike smiled, getting up and going to the board. “Now, a little history. As most you know, the first hero-sidekick duo was Nocturno and Bluejay-”

Suddenly all the lights went out, leaving them in almost pitch darkness. “Uh oh,” said Pike.

Scotty stood up, raising his hand toward the ceiling. The lights slowly flickered back on. “Thas’ it, me darlins’,” he muttered. He looked around at his classmates. “Tha trick is to be polite.”

Suddenly a tall man dressed in a purple lab coat over an orange sweater, with an _enormous_ head, entered the room, armed with a flashlight. “Apologies,” he said. “A slight misfire in the Mad Science Lab. There’s no need for alarm...unless you’re a single-cell organism.”

“Class, meet Doctor Daystrom. Our resident professor of the sciences,” Pike said.

“Vait...Doctor _Reechard_ Daystrom?” Pavel asked. “Ze von who built ze Ultimate Computer? It nearly leveled Cinninati!”

Dr. Daystrom cleared his throat awkwardly. “Guilty, I’m afraid. However, I’ve been reformed since then. My days as super-criminal are far behind me.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance, kiddos,” Pike added. “What we do with that second chance is up to us. Dr. Daystrom is making the most of his. He’s a very admirable man.” Pike smiled over at Daystrom.

“This is why Professor Pike is my best work friend,” Daystrom said, cracking a smile. “I look forward to meeting you all soon.” He backed out of the room, going back to his own class.

Pike clapped his hands. “Well, now. Shall we get back to it?”

* * *

After class, Spock stayed behind. “Uncle Chris-”

“Kiddo.” Pike hugged him--he was the only person Spock allowed to hug him apart from Jim. “When I saw the name ‘Grayson’ on my roll sheet this morning, I thought I needed new glasses. What happened? Do I need to talk to Decker?”

Spock shook his head. “No, I’m...I’m here for a good reason.”

“Well, tell me.”

Spock looked at him nervously. “Can I confide in you?”

“You mean, you don’t want me to talk to your parents, huh.”

Spock nodded.

Pike tilted his head. “Now you know I’m not gonna tattle on you unless you’re in some kind of trouble... _are_ you in trouble?”

“No...well...” Spock confessed to everything: having no powers, the disastrous Power Placement yesterday, and what Nurse Chapel had told him.

Pike whistled once he’d heard the whole story. “I had heard you didn’t have any powers, but I thought it was just a stupid rumor. And your parents don’t know? How have you kept them fooled all this time?”

Spock shrugged. “I’m very clever. Luckily Mom always says no superpowers in the house, so Dad hasn’t tried to make me demonstrate my powers. I’ve been pretending like I got them last year. I didn’t think any harm would come of it...until this summer when they surprised me about getting enrolled here.”

“Yeah...I’d say you’ve definitely painted yourself into a corner,” Pike said. “You know there’s only one thing to do, right?”

“What? Throw myself into a vat of toxic waste?”

“ _Tell your parents the truth._ ”

“I...I can’t. I don’t know how.”

“‘Hi, Mom and Dad. School was fine. By the way, I don’t actually have superpowers’...yeah, now that I say it out loud, it is pretty difficult.” Pike leant down to put a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “But it’s the only way.”

“My father will be so disappointed.”

“Sarek’ll get over it. If he doesn’t recognize what a great kid he’s got, he’s a dumbass.” As Spock rose to his feet, feeling better, Pike said, “And don’t forget the homework on Friday. Don’t think you’re getting off easy just because you’re my favorite nephew.”

“I’m your _only_ nephew, Uncl-I mean, _Professor_ ,” Spock shot back, smiling.

“Exactly. Now get outta here. Have a good day, kiddo.”

Spock left the room to find his friends, the knot in his stomach slightly less taut.

* * *

Spock’s first two weeks at Superfleet Academy went by pretty much without incident. Gary and Sean were jerks who were relentless in giving Pavel swirlies and wedgies. Jim was still ducking Janice at every turn. Coach Decker delighted in torturing his students. But for the most part, Superfleet was a cool place to go to school. Pike was a great teacher. He was tough, but fair. And his homework load wasn’t _too_ heavy.

The fivesome was gathered at Spock’s house, going over their assignment when Sarek came in, dressed in full Ambassador attire. “Good evening, my son...and my son’s friends.”

”Dad,” said Spock, turning pale. “You are home early.”

”The earthquake in San Trobido was less urgent than expected. Very few were wounded.” Sarek stepped forward and shook Jim’s hand. “Good evening, James.”

”Hey, Mr. Grayson,” Jim said, grinning. “Have I told you you look great in your suit?”

” _Jim!_ ” Spock hissed, mortified. “Don’t _flirt_ with my _dad_!”

Jim laughed. “I flirt with everyone. I like to think of it as my second superpower.”

”Yes, well...” Sarek barely suppressed an amused smirk. “It’s a pleasure to meet Spock’s new friends as well.”

”Montgomery Scott, sir!” said the Scotsman, hopping to his feet to shake his hand. “The pleasure’s all mine!”

”What’s your power?” Sarek inquired.

”I can communicate with machines, sir! Computers and such.”

Sarek blinked. “I see...and you, miss?”

”Nyota Uhura. I turn into a cat.”

”Oh...”

”And I melt!” Pavel squeaked excitedly, pumping Sarek’s hand. “Pavel Chekov, sir.”

”Fascinating...well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m feeling a bit hungry, so I’m going to make myself a sandwich. Can I get anyone anything from the kitchen?”

The gang turned him down and went back to their work. Spock watched his father leave, then got up and went after him.

Sarek was slicing a cucumber for his sandwich. Sitting next to the sourdough bread was... “Vegemite?” Spock asked conversationally as he picked up the small jar.

”Yes. Your mother was kind enough to pick up some more on her trip to Australia two days ago.”

Spock hummed, rolling the jar in his hands absently as he wondered how to proceed.

”That one friend of yours, the Russian one...does he truly melt?”

”Er...yes, he does.”

Sarek shook his head. “Decker must have become soft-hearted in his old age to allow him to be a hero.”

”Oh, no, he’s a sidekick.”

”Ah. That is much more logical.”

Spock nodded slowly. “Actually...all of them are sidekicks.”

Sarek paused, studying his son curiously. Then he smiled. “Most commendable, my son. You have not let the hierarchy of heroes and sidekicks control whom you choose to associate with. That is good, it means you do not give in to peer pressure.”

”I ran into Uncle Chris. You never told me you were partners,” Spock said.

”Indeed. He saved my life more than a few times. And if it wasn’t for him, I would have never met your dear mother. We haven’t had him over for dinner in so long. If you see him tomorrow, invite him over on Saturday night. I’ll clear it with your mother.”

”Yes, Dad. So then...you would not disapprove if I...was a sidekick?”

”Of course not. Hand me the Vegemite, please?”

Spock slid it across the counter to him. “Good. Because...I am.”

”Am what?”

”A...sidekick. Father, I’m a sidekick.”

Sarek paused in spreading the Vegemite on his bread. He turned his head toward Spock. “Are you...making a joke, son?”

”No,” Spock replied, waiting for the hammer to fall.

Sarek put down the bread and the knife, his eyebrows set firmly. “I will call the school at once. There has clearly been a mistake-“

”No, Dad,” said Spock. “The problem isn’t the school, or Coach Decker; it’s me. I...I don’t have powers.”

Sarek stared at him in disbelief. “No. That’s not true. You have strength like me.”

”I deceived you, and Mom. I apologize. I wanted to make you proud. But my lies have caught up with me. I have never had powers...and I perhaps never will.”

”Spock...don’t say this. You could just be developing late.”

Spock shrugged, looking at the floor. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. But regardless...I’m not ashamed anymore. And I’m proud to be a sidekick, Father. I hope, someday...you can be proud of me too.”

Spock backed out of the kitchen, leaving his father dumbstruck, and taking his seat beside Jim in the living room again. All his friends were silent, staring at him—they’d overheard everything. Spock cleared his throat pointedly. “Well...which question are we on again?”

Scotty, Nyota, and Pavel all looked at each other, then Pavel began reading the next question. Spock looked Jim, who was beaming at him, his hazel eyes glittering with pride. A tiny smile sprouted on Spock’s face too.

* * *

That night, after Spock had gone to bed, Sarek and Amanda stayed up in the Secret Sanctum. Spock had come clean to his mom as soon as she came home, after his friends had gone home for the night. “All I ever wanted for our son was for him to save the world,” Sarek murmured.

Amanda shook her head. “We’ve put too much pressure on him. No wonder he felt like he had to lie to us all this time.”

”I merely wanted Spock to feel the pride in himself that we feel in ourselves every time we commit heroic acts. Is that so terrible?”

”No...but Spock doesn’t have to be a superhero to help people. He can be a firefighter and rescue them from burning buildings. Or he can study medicine and find the cure to cancer. Or hell, he can become a teacher like me and nurture young minds into future contributing members of society. This is not the end of the world. You think I didn’t want to see my son fly?”

”Or have super strength?”

”Or fly? But think about how Spock must feel right now. He’s surrounded by people constantly who seem more extraordinary than he is. At home, and now at school too. We have to be there for Spock, to show him his value.”

Sarek nodded. “You’re right. He is our son. We must support him. And it could be worse...he could’ve ended up a supervillain like his brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyyyy, supportive uncle/teacher Pike! (It’s really weird for me writing Pike as Spock’s uncle since we now know Spock was low key thirsty for Pike when he was Captain of the Enterprise—thanks, Star Trek Discovery.) Also double yay, not actual worst dad in the universe Sarek!
> 
> Anyway, comments please! -Ren


	6. Heating Up

“Welcome to Superfl-” Hikaru was cut off as an elongated arm snatched the potted plant sitting on his dash. “Hey! Not Florence!” Hikaru yelped, darting off the bus.

“Aww, Sulu wants his little plant back!” Finnegan jeered as Mitchell handed it to him. “Well you’ll have to catch me to get it!” He took off at super speed darting around Hikaru, too fast for the human eye.

“Come on, guys!” Hikaru whined. “That’s a _very_ rare orchid that my boyfriend gave me for our anniversary!”

“What’s going on?” Spock said, stepping off the bus with his friends in tow.

“They took Florence!”

Spock sighed. “Come on...give Hikaru his plant back.”

Finnegan stopped running, skidding to a halt next to Mitchell and handing the plant back to him. Mitchell smirked. “Alright, Hikaru. You want your flower back? Catch!” He threw it toward Hikaru.

“No!” Hikaru yelped, throwing out his arms to catch the pot.

Jim held out his hand and a quantum field formed around the plant, causing it to move in slow motion. Jim plucked it out of the air and handed it to Hikaru. “There we go. Safe ‘n’ sound.”

“Thanks, guys,” said Hikaru.

Finnegan and Mitchell sneered at Spock. “Catch you later... _sidekick_.”

Jim leaned toward Spock and muttered, “Why do I feel like that’s a threat?”

* * *

Spock was walking back from the lunch line with his vegan wrap. “Over here!” called Jim from their usual table. “I saved you a seat.”

“And I saved you a brownie!” Pavel added, holding it up and waving it in the air.

Suddenly a blur whizzed past him and snatched the brownie out of his hand. The blur came to a halt beside Mitchell. Finnegan bit into his filched treat as Mitchell smirked and said, “Bro. Check this out.” He bent and extended his arm, snaking it across the cafeteria floor. It wove between tables and chairs and people’s legs, till it reached Spock’s feet. Mitchell’s hand grabbed Spock’s ankle and yanked, causing him to tumble to the floor. Spock yelped, his tray flying and his food landing...

...all over Leonard McCoy.

Bones snapped the book that he was reading shut and stood up, glowering down at Spock. Spock looked up at him. “S-sorry,” he stammered.

“You will be,” Bones growled in a low Southern drawl.

“W-wait, it was an accident, I swear,” said Spock nervously, pushing up his glasses.

“You think you can do whatever you want just because your name is Grayson?”

“I’m sorry that my parents put your dad away, but-”

Bones grabbed him by the front of his sweater vest, pulled him up, and hissed in his face, “Nobody talks about my father.”

His hands burst into flames. “Ah!” Spock exclaimed, jumping back.

“ _Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!_ ” Mitchell and Finnegan chanted.

Spock backed away slowly as the fire conjured in Bones’s hands burned hotter. Bones reared back to throw a fireball. Thinking fast, Spock grabbed a metal tray sitting on a table nearby and was able to block the fire from his face. However, the metal of the tray grow hot fast due to the fire, and Spock burned his fingers. “Ahh!” he cried again, dropping the tray.

Bones threw another fireball, just barely missing Spock. The wall behind him burst into flame. Spock looked over his shoulder and spotted the fire alarm across the room. If he could just make it over there and pull the lever, the sprinklers would go off...

Spock took off running, barreling through the crowd of engrossed students. But then, another one of Gary Mitchell’s arms swept across the floor and tripped him up again. Spock went skidding across the linoleum. Bones stalked after him, hot blue flames licking up his arms. He threw yet another blast of fire at Spock, who managed to crawl under a lunch table, just dodging it. Spock padded like a dog to the other end. Bones hopped onto the table, stomping across the top, swinging his arms and tossing fireballs left and right. Spock made himself as small as possible to avoid them.

But when he came to the end of the table, he realized he was cornered.

“Where’s yer sidekick, sidekick?” Bones taunted.

“Right here!” Jim exclaimed, running forward. Scotty, Pavel, and Hikaru did too.

“Yeah, no, I’m outtie.” Nyota morphed into a cat and took off.

Bones glared at them all, then yelled loudly, his entire body erupting into flames.

The four of them stared in terror. Pavel melted into a puddle on the floor...literally.

Spock grit his teeth, anger flaring inside him. His blood was pounding in his ears. “Leave...them... _alone!_ ” he roared, standing up and lifting the entire table with Bones standing on top of it into the air above his head. Spock breathed heavily, chest heaving in and out.

Everyone gasped, staring at him. “He’s _strong!_ ” Hikaru fangirled.

“I’m strong?” Spock whispered breathlessly, looking up.

Jim bit his lip. “He’s _super_ strong,” he mumbled, eyeing Spock appreciatively.

With a grunt, Spock threw Bones and the table across the cafeteria. Bones crashed into a pillar, drywall crumbled into white dust all over him. The entire cafeteria cheered. “Jolly good show!” called a British voice. Spock looked over his shoulder to see T.S. Elliot standing there, nodding at him in approval.

Suddenly Spock’s friends flocked around him. “I believe the flower has bloomed at last,” Jim said with a grin.

Spock found himself grinning back. He shyly pushed his glasses up his nose and then turned to Finnegan and Mitchell, who were standing there with their mouths agape in disbelief. “Now,” he growled in what he hoped was a menacing voice. “Who tripped me?”

Finnegan took off at super speed. Mitchell grabbed onto the ceiling and pulled himself out of reach. Spock glared up at him.

“ _GRAYSON!_ ”

Spock turned and saw Bones stalking toward him. “You think I can’t take a hit, boy?” he spat. He let out another loud cry, his body lighting up again. The students screamed and fled.

Jim jogged over to the wall where the fire extinguisher was. “Spock!” he cried, tossing it to him.

Spock caught it with ease. Bones started running toward him. Spock struggled with the handle at the top, but finally, just ripped the metal open, spraying Bones with sodium bicarbonite. Bones slipped onto his back, flames extinguished, covered in white foam.

Suddenly a flash of white appeared over their heads, and formed into a very cross looking Principal Georgiou.

Spock bit his lip. Uh oh.

* * *

Georgiou dragged the both of them to the superpower-neutralizing detention room. “ _Sit_ ,” she ordered.

The two boys sat awkwardly.

“Here at Superfleet Academy, we do everything we can to teach you how to use your powers. But what you do with them, now that's up to you. Trying to live up to your father's reputation, or a misguided attempt at revenge is a sad waste of talent. _Your_ talent. Try to keep that in mind the next time you're about to do something stupid.” Georgiou turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

An awkward silence passed between the boys. Spock finally cleared his throat. “Listen...whatever happened between our parents...it has nothing to do with us. Why don’t we bury the hatchet?” Spock offered his hand.

Bones squinted at him, not taking it. “Why don’t _you_ stay out of my way, and _I_ won’t turn you into nerd shish kabob.” Then he faced forward, glaring at the wall. Spock swallowed and slowly retracted his hand. They waited in silence for the school day to end.

* * *

Spock pushed open the front door...and detached the whole frame from the wall. Oops. He was going to have to get accustomed to his newfound super strength.

”So, Spock...”

Spock whirled around to find his parents standing there, their arms crossed and their jaws set. “Anything interesting happen at school today?” Amanda inquired.

”Well...ah...as you see...” Spock crossed the room and picked his mother up if she were as light as a feather. “I got my powers today.”

”Yes, we know, the principal called.”

Spock gulped and put Amanda back down. “I would like to explain...”

”Please do. Because Principal Georgiou said you were _fighting_ with another boy? That’s not the son I raised.”

”In my defense, McCoy attacked me first.”

”McCoy?” Sarek said. “As in, David McCoy? The Gunslinger?”

”Yes, his son. Dad, he hates me because of you two.”

”Oh no. You don’t get to put the blame on us,” Amanda chimed in. “Spock, if someone is trying to hurt you, you _run away and get help_. What if he’d hurt you? What if you’d hurt him? What someone else had gotten hurt? You’re lucky that all there was this time was property damage!”

”But Mom, he was going to attack my friends,” Spock argued.

Amanda sighed. She and Sarek looked at each other. Finally Amanda said, “Son, you’re grounded for a week.”

Spock’s mouth dropped open.

”Be glad you’re getting off easy!” Amanda continued. “For one week, no television, no video games, no going out with your friends, and no playing with your new laptop.”

Spock frowned, puzzled. “What new laptop?”

Amanda smiled and pulled out a box with a bow on it. Spock’s face lit up.

”We got it for you to celebrate your powers finally coming in...but you don’t get to open it for a week,” Amanda said, putting it back.

Spock sighed, nodding reluctantly. He hugged Amanda, and accepted a firm pat on the shoulder from Sarek. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad.”

Amanda wheezed. “Honey, you’re crushing my rib cage.”

”Oh, sorry!” Spock jumped back.

“No problem, kiddo.” Amanda grinned even as she winced, rubbing her side. “Man, you are strong!”


	7. Save The Citizen

Spock walked into Hero Support with Jim the next morning and his fellow students began applauding him. “Why are they clapping?” Spock whispered.

“For you, _doofus_ ,” Jim whispered back. “You kicked major ass yesterday.”

“It wasn’t exactly my proudest moment,” Spock said, blushing, as they made their way to their seats.

“Still...maybe Finnegan and Mitchell will think twice next time they give Pasha a swirly,” Jim grinned.

“Good morning, class,” said Pike, coming in with his briefcase. “I hope no one minds eating outside today...”

Everyone laughed; Spock chuckled nervously, sinking down in his seat a little.

“Well, we have a lot to learn today, so textbooks out, everyone...except you, Spock.”

Spock looked up quizzically.

“I have your new class schedule here...” Pike handed him a slip of paper. “Looks like you’ve been transferred.”

Spock looked at the schedule. “But...these are all hero classes.”

Pike nodded. “That’s right.”

Spock looked at his friends, who were all staring him in shock.

Jim was the first one to break the silence. “Well hey, we’ll still ride the bus together, right?” he said with a sad smile.

“Da, and zere’s lunch,” Pavel said.

“And gym class,” Scotty added.

“If you don’t end up selling out to the establishment,” Nyota mumbled, filing her black nails.

Spock nodded. “Yes. I suppose that’s true.”

Pike put his hand on Spock’s shoulder. “Well...better not be late,” he said kindly.

Spock nodded again, got up, and collected his things. He went to the door, and took one last look at his friends.

Jim smiled at him wistfully. “See you soon, hero,” he said, shooting him some half-hearted finger guns.

Spock offered a tiny smile back and started off for his new class.

* * *

Spock knocked timidly on the door to the science lab. “H-hello?” he said, poking his head inside. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but-”

“Ah, Mr. Grayson, come in,” said Dr. Daystrom, beckoning him inside. “We were just getting started with today’s mad science exercise. Unfortunately everyone’s already paired off with a lab partner...but perhaps my teaching assistant wouldn’t mind stepping up to the plate?”

“Not at all.”

Spock looked to the back to see T.S. getting to his feet. The Brit strode to the front of the room. “Good to have you on _this_ side of the school, Spock,” he said warmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry too much about being behind. Dr. Daystrom isn’t _too_ tough on the freshman.” T.S. winked and everyone in the class laughed.

“I actually love science,” Spock said. “I find it fascinating...that was a very nerdy thing to say, wasn’t it?”

“Haven’t you heard?” T.S.’s icy blue eyes pierced into Spock. “Nerds are in fashion. Come on, I’ll show you to your lab station.”

With a hand on his shoulder, T.S. steered Spock to a table toward the back. Spock shrugged off his backpack and sat on a stool, with T.S. sliding onto the seat beside him. “So...super strength,” T.S. whispered. “That must be exciting.”

“Um...mostly it’s a relief,” Spock admitted. “I thought I was going to be non-powered forever.”

“Not a chance,” said T.S. “I knew you were bound for greatness from the second I saw you.”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm. Takes one to know one.” T.S. gave him a smirk.

Spock chucked quietly at that.

Soon, Daystrom was passing out electronic parts--they were building ray guns. Spock had never done anything like this before. Maybe he _was_ outside his wheelhouse.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you through it,” T.S. whispered. “So...I’m a big gossip hound. What’s the scoop in the freshman class?”

“Uh...the scoop?”

“You know. The hot buzz. The dirt. The 4-1-1.” T.S. laughed at himself. “I’m sure my vernacular’s a bit outdated.”

“Um...well, my friend Scotty has a crush on my friend Nyota.”

“The Princess of Darkness, right?”

Spock’s eyebrows knit together. “Huh?”

“That’s what we call her, us seniors. Scotty is MacSteampunk. Admittedly, they’re not all winners,” T.S. said.

“Do, uh...do all the freshmen have nicknames?” Spock asked.

“Well, that would be telling.” T.S. smirked again. “But what about you, Spock?”

“Me? Do I have a nickname?”

“No. I mean...is there anyone you fancy?”

Spock blushed. “Oh! Er...I mean...I don’t know.”

“So you don’t have a girlfriend.”

“No,” Spock laughed nervously. “My last girlfriend was a girl named T’Pring. It was in the second grade. That was before I’d figured out I was gay.”

“Oh! So sorry, I didn’t mean to assume-”

“It’s fine,” said Spock. “But yeah. No relationships. I’m kind of too shy to talk to boys. The only boy I’m really close to is Jim, but we’re just friends.”

“Well you never know.” T.S. pierced Spock with his icy blue eyes. “The right fellow could be very nearby.”

Spock shivered. No guy had _ever_ hit on him like this before. Jim sometimes flirted with him, but Jim flirted with everybody; he wasn’t seriously into him. T.S. on the other hand...

Cheeks burning, Spock turned back to his work. “So, um...does this look right to you?”

“Yes...if you were building a heat ray. You’re meant to be building a freeze ray.”

Spock looked up to Daystrom coming down the aisle, heading right for their table. He looked back at T.S., panicking. T.S. raised his hand over the pieces of the gun. Suddenly, they seemed to assemble themselves autonomously. Spock had never seen anything like it.

“Alright, how’s my new student faring?” Daystrom said, sidling up to the table. He looked at the assembled gun and said, “Oh my. This looks like excellent work, Mr. Grayson.”

“Uh-”

“But let’s put it to the test.” Daystrom picked up the gun and fired it at a melting pint of ice cream sitting out on his desk. The ice cream immediately froze.

“Nice and solid,” Daystrom commended. “Well done, Mr. Elliot. But next time, please let the student learn for himself, eh?” He gave them a half-hearted annoyed smile that told Spock that Daystrom wasn’t that mad about it.

“Just helping a rookie start off,” said T.S., grinning.

“Sorry, Dr. Daystrom,” Spock added sheepishly.

Daystrom nodded and walked off. Spock looked at T.S. “You’re a technopath?”

“Indeed,” said T.S. proudly. “Much like your Scottish friend, I can manipulate technology, make it do what I want.”

“Well, Scotty only talks to machines. He only gets them to do what he wants because he asks nicely,” Spock said, laughing softly. He pictured his friends and what they must be doing right now in Hero Support...without him...

The bell rang and T.S. gently nudged his arm. “Come on. Lunch time. You should sit with us.”

“Us...who?”

“You know. Me, Janice Lester, some of the others. The homecoming committee.”

Spock thought of Jim sitting near Janice. Well, maybe if they were opposite ends of the table... “Okay,” Spock said. “Thank you.”

* * *

“Is Spock sitting with the _cool_ kids?” Jim muttered in confusion as they walked through the quad with their trays.

“Told you he’d end up conforming,” Nyota sighed.

“Well he’s wavin’ us over,” Scotty said brightly. “Let’s go!”

“Oh, so you’re a conformist too now?” Nyota accused.

“N-no! I’d never do that!” Scotty said quickly. “Just look at my vest and goggles! And my wrist braces! Besides...isn’t it a bit rebellious for us outsiders to invade the popular kids’ table?”

Nyota hummed. “Huh. I guess I never thought of that way. Okay, I’m in.”

“Me too! Perhaps if zey see me over zere vis zem, Finnegan von’t shove my head in ze toilet!” Pavel said excitedly.

“I’ve never gotten an invitation from the in-crowd before,” Hikaru commented as they made their way over.

But just as they were about to sit down, Janice Lester spotted them. Suddenly six more of her appeared in the remaining seats. “Sorry, sidekicks,” sneered the head Janice. “All full.”

“Hi, Jim,” said another, glaring. Jim squeaked and ducked behind Scotty.

The others looked at Spock expectantly, who opened his mouth, but no words came out.

“Never mind...I think I see an empty table over there, guys,” said Hikaru, looking crestfallen. “Come on.”

Everyone turned away. T.S. looked at Spock. “Sorry. Lester can be a bit...territorial.”

Spock nodded silently, not sure what to say. He looked across the quad and caught Jim’s eye. Jim frowned and looked down at his tray.

“Maybe I should...”

“Spock, tell us what you think of a teal and lavender color scheme for homecoming,” said T.S. quickly. “We don’t have long to order decorations, after all.”

“Um...” Spock sat down reluctantly. “Okay. Well...”

* * *

After lunch, it was time for gym. Spock was on his way to the gym when he caught Finnegan and Mitchell shoving someone into a locker. “Hey, _hey_ ,” he said rushing over. He pried Finnegan off of Hikaru.

“Thanks, Spock,” panted Hikaru. He looked over at another locker, where there was a orange substance leaking out of the bottom.

Spock frowned. “Pavel too.”

Mitchell rolled his eyes, unlocked the door, and Pavel came oozing out, morphing back into his solid form.

“You think you’re such a tough guy, don’t you, Grayson?” scoffed Finnegan.

Spock glared at him. “You saw what happened to the cafeteria. Don’t mess with me...or my friends,” he said, hoping he sounded threatening.

“Yeah!” Hikaru chimed in. “Because Spock will mess you up! Just like he did McCoy.”

“Well I wouldn’t go that far,” Spock said, turning pale.

“Spock eez a hero now! You’re just afraid of him!” Pavel cried.

“ _Pavel..._ ” Spock hissed, wishing he’d just kept walking after his friends were freed.

“Oh, so Grayson wants to pick another fight, huh?” Mitchell said. “Well why don’t we settle this in gym?”

“Deal! If Spock beats you at Save Ze Citizen, you don’t get to mess vis us anymore!” Pavel said.

“Yeah, and if he loses, you can give Pasha a swirly everyday till graduation!” Hikaru added.

“Yes! Vait, vat?”

“It’s a deal!” laughed Finnegan.

“Good luck though,” Mitchell added. “We’re the undefeated champs. You’re gonna need a _miracle_ to beat us.” The two of them snickered as they headed for the locker rooms.

Spock turned around and stared at his friends in disbelief.

“Hey, there you guys are!” said Jim, rounding the corner with Scotty and Nyota. They were already in their gym clothes. “P.E.’s starting in a couple minutes, where’ve you guys been?”

“Spock just challenged Finnegan and Mitchell to _Save The Citizen_!” Hikaru exclaimed.

“ _I_ challenged?!” Spock squawked.

“Hey,” said Jim, putting his hand on Spock’s shoulder. “You can do this. You survived yesterday with Bones, right?”

“ _Barely_ ,” Spock stated. “There is no way I’m going to be able to defeat them.”

Nyota nodded. “You’re probably right.”

* * *

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the round. Finnegan and Mitchell high-fived after their third consecutive defeat. “Alright, next round,” announced Coach Decker. “Sean, Gary, you wanna be heroes or villains?”

“Villains!” Finnegan declared, laughed.

“Big surprise,” muttered Decker. “Alright, who do you want to beat next?”

“Hmm,” said Mitchell, like he was pretending to think about it. He locked onto Spock sitting in the crowd with his friends and said, “I think we’ll take Grayson...”

Spock reluctantly stood up.

“...and McCoy!” Finnegan exclaimed.

Everyone oohed. McCoy, sitting in a back row all to himself, rose from his seat sullenly.

“Are they serious?!” Jim hissed. “McCoy’ll fillet Spock alive!”

“Thanks, Jim,” sighed Spock.

He and McCoy made their way down the bleachers and onto the court. They pulled on their safety pads and chest guards without making eye contact.

The court had been turned into something of a mock town set up, with benches and trash cans and mailboxes and lampposts. In the center was a pair of mechanical snapping jaws, ready to dismember and devour the next “citizen”. A mannequin dressed in a pink sweater and a wig made of yellow yarn descended from the ceiling on a wire, dangling above the jaws.

“Grayson...McCoy--you’re the heroes. Your job is to save the citizen. The villains will try and stop you. You have three minutes to immobilize your opponents and save the citizen. If the timer runs out before you save the citizen, she gets mulched, and you lose. Ready?”

“Not really,” mumbled Spock, feeling queasy.

“ ** _Let’s get ready to rumbllllllllllllllllllllllllle!_** ” Decker bellowed, his voice echoing around the room as if he were microphoned. The buzzer sounded and the clock began counting down.

Mitchell stretched his arm, grabbing onto a lamppost. Finnegan propelled himself forward with Mitchell’s elastic arm like a slingshot, and ricocheted around the court, bouncing off objects like a life size game of pinball. Spock and Bones barely had time to blink before Finnegan whizzed by them and knocked them off their feet. Bones went crashing into a mailbox and Spock smacked into one of the barriers surrounding the court. The onlooking students groaned in sympathy.

Bones rose to his feet, only to be completely restrained by Mitchell’s outstretched arms. They bound him like ropes. “Ha! What now, hothead?” jeered Mitchell.

Bones blazed up and Mitchell yelled, his sleeves singed, smoking curling up from his arms. Decker cackled from his referee’s chair.

The wire extended further, dropping the mannequin ever closer to the jaws...

Spock scrambled to his feet, seeing a clear shot to the citizen. He rushed forward in determination, only to be knocked back on his face by another lap from Finnegan. He picked himself up, breathing hard. He tried once more, but Finnegan just knocked him over again. Spock felt his blood boiling, just as he had the previous day when Bones threatened his friends. He growled, jumping into the air. He came back down hard, slamming his fist into the polished wood. The floor rippled in a circle around him, expanding out to the rest of the court. Finnegan tripped mid-run and smacked onto the floor, and Mitchell went flying across the room into a bench, smashing it to splinters.

The students cracked up laughing as Spock strutted over, picked up Mitchell’s body, and tied him to a lamppost, using his own stretchable limbs as binds. “You are a _dead man!_ ” Mitchell hissed, face turning scarlet with rage and embarrassment.

Spock laughed quietly to himself, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

“Hey!” hollered Bones from across the gym from where he was tossing fireballs at (and missing) Finnegan. “ _Save the citizen!_ ”

Spock looked at the scoreboard and saw that there was less than a minute left. He gasped and took off running for the center of the court.

Finnegan came back around for another pass at Bones. The firebender’s palms lit up, ready for the attack, but instead of hitting him dead on, Finnegan steered around Bones, running tight laps around him. Bones’s flames died out, and he gasped, clutching at his throat as if he couldn’t breathe.

Spock was about to grab the mannequin when he caught sight of Bones choking. A science fact popped into his head--that there was no air inside a vortex. Without oxygen, Bones couldn’t make fire...or _breathe_.

The mannequin sank even lower toward the snapping jaws. Less than 30 seconds.

Spock looked at the citizen, then back to Bones. He set his jaw and rushed over to his choking partner. He gingerly grabbed Finnegan by the scruff of his collar. Finnegan kept running in midair, like a wind-up toy, his mind not having caught up with his actions yet. Spock aimed Finnegan at Mitchell, still tied up across the court, and let him go. Finnegan, unable to stop, smashed right into Mitchell.

The students began to count down the remaining seconds as Spock picked Bones up and hoisted him over his head. “ _Five! Four!_ ”

Spock lobbed Bones forward like a javelin, straight for the mannequin inching closer and closer to the jaws’ teeth.

“ _Three! Two! ONE!_ ”

Bones flew over the teeth and grabbed the mannequin, tumbling safely to the ground on the other side. The buzzer sounded.

“ ** _Hey-o!_** ” shouted Decker. “ ** _She’s alive! Heroes WIN!_** ”

The students erupted into cheers. Spock felt his heart thumping in his chest a million miles a minute. A giddy smile spread across his chest. He walked around the jaws and held out a hand to Bones. “We were a good team out there,” said Spock, extending the proverbial olive branch.

Bones looked at his hand, scoffed, and pulled himself up without Spock’s help. He started to stalk off, but then he turned and looked over his shoulder. “Hey. Uh...thanks. For saving me,” he mumbled.

Spock nodded. Bones scowled and jammed his hands in his pockets and stormed off.

Suddenly Spock was swept off his feet and lifted into the air by a bunch of students, led by T.S. and his friends. “Jolly good show again!” T.S. proclaimed.

Spock smiled sheepishly. The cheering crowd carried him out of the gymnasium...like a hero.

“Spock! Spock, over here!” His friends called to him, but Spock didn’t hear.

* * *

It was twilight when Spock finally arrived home. He sighed and pulled out his house key when he heard a voice say, “Welcome home, hero.”

Spock looked up to see Jim gazing down at him from the window of their treehouse. “Hi. I’ll be right up,” Spock said.

“I’ll be waiting,” Jim replied with a smile.

After setting his bag down inside, Spock crawled up into the treehouse. “So how does it feel to be the first freshman _ever_ to win at Save The Citizen?” Jim asked as Spock took a seat across from him.

“Well it wasn’t all my effort, McCoy helped too.”

“Nice to see you’re still modest,” Jim said.

“I’ve only been a hero for one day, Jim. Did you really expect me to develop an overly inflated ego in one day?”

“Oh, I know it’ll happen eventually. Soon you’ll forget all about us little people,” Jim sighed dramatically.

“You’re illogical,” Spock said, shaking his head fondly.

Jim chuckled. He looked around their cozy treehouse. “Hey...you remember that time we camped up here when we were 13?”

“We camped up here many times when we were 13.”

Jim gave him a sly look. “You know which time I mean.”

Spock blushed. “Yes, I do.”

“God, remember my braces? And how they made me slur all my Ss?”

“And we were covered in acne.”

“Er, Spock? We still kinda are.”

“It was a lot worse back then, before we discovered exfoliating.”

“True,” Jim giggled. “You were so nervous. It was adorable. You know, when you asked me about...”

_“Jim?” Spock said timidly._

_“What’sh up, Shpock?”_

_“Um...I think I’m different from the other boys.”_

_“Really? How sho?”_

_“Um...” Spock blushed at his lap. “You know how my sister is dating that girl, Sylvia? I...I think I might be like her.”_

_“You mean...you like other boysh?”_

_Spock nodded mutely._

_“Do you think you’re gay? Or bi? Do you like girlsh?”_

_“I don’t think I do,” Spock said slowly. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m imagining things. I’ve never even kissed anybody.”_

_Jim shrugged. “Okay. Kissh me then.”_

_Spock turned bright red. “What?!”_

_“To shee if you really like boysh or not.”_

_“But...but you’re my best friend. Wouldn’t it be weird?”_

_“I don’t know. Maybe. But would it be any weirder than kisshing shomeone you don’t really know?”_

_“I...suppose not,” Spock admitted. His stomach was full of butterflies. “Are you sure it’s okay?”_

_“I’m the one who shuggeshted it, doofush,” Jim teased him gently. He scooted closer to Spock, putting his hand gently on top of the other boy’s. “Here. Closhe your eyesh.”_

_Spock let his eyelids fall shut, then slowly leaned forward._

_Then warm soft lips touched his, their shape molding to the shape of his, gently moving against them. Spock felt powerful emotions flood through his system. His heart was pounding. Who would’ve thought that such a light touch would effect him so much? Spock let out a small noise, somewhere between a squeak and a whimper. Jim rubbed his thumb over the back of Spock’s hand comfortingly as he continued to kiss him._

_The moment could’ve last moments, or eons. But finally Jim pulled back. They stared at each other for a second, frozen._

_Spock finally cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “Thank you. Now I definitely know that I do like boys. You were right. It wasn’t that weird.”_

_Jim was staring at Spock with an unreadable expression. “Yeah...not weird at all...”_

“It was my first kiss,” Spock said. “And the first time I came out to anyone.”

“It was my first kiss too,” Jim said with a fond smile.

“Yes, but as soon as school started you were dating Ruth. Then Areel. Then Rayna, then Janice-”

“Okay, okay!” Jim laughed, blushing.

Saying Janice’s name reminded Spock of what had happened at lunch. “By the way, I’m sorry about earlier today. Janice was-”

“No, hey, it’s fine-”

“No, it isn’t. And I want to make it up you. Maybe with dinner at Big Tex Barbecue?”

Jim raised an eyebrow. “You’re a vegetarian.”

“But...you are not.”

Jim smiled shyly. “Okay. Friday night, 8 o’clock. Big Tex Barbecue.”

Spock smiled back as Jim nudged him with his foot.


	8. Friday Night, 8:00

Spock returned home Friday afternoon, intent on taking a shower before he was due to meet with Jim. He strolled through the back door into the kitchen, calling, “I’m home, Mom.”

“Hello, Spock.”

Spock looked up in surprise to see none other T.S. standing there, posed with his mother as if they’d been casually chatting for some time. “W-what are you doing here?” Spock asked in confusion. “Not that I don’t _want_ you here, but-”

“Well, seeing as that big test in Mad Science is coming up, I thought you’d appreciate something of the insider scoop. I could be your ‘study buddy’, as it were.”

“Oh! Um, that’s very kind of you...I’d certainly appreciate the help.”

“Spock, I didn’t know you were getting so popular,” Amanda said with a grin. “T.S. here was just telling me about all your friends and classes. Of course it’s no surprise. Who couldn’t want to be your friend?”

“ _Mom,_ ” moaned Spock as Amanda tousled his already messy hair.

“Well, shall we?” said T.S. with a fond smile at Spock.

Spock nodded, and beckoned T.S. upstairs to his room. As the two guys left, Sarek came in. He raised an eyebrow at T.S.’s retreating back. “Who was that?”

“One of Spock’s new friends.” Amanda looked at Sarek pointedly. “I think they _like_ each other.”

“Doesn’t Spock have feelings for that Kirk boy?”

“I’m not sure. I mean, Jim is head over heels for Spock, obviously, but I’m not sure Spock knows that he feels the same way about Jim.”

Sarek shook his head. “Teenage love.”

Amanda smirked at him. “As I recall, you weren’t immune to it when we were his age.” She booped his nose.

Sarek rolled his eyes, giving into a tiny smile. “We were nonetheless foolish.”

“Well, whichever boy he ends up with, I hope Spock keeps T.S. around. He fixed that broken toaster. Now we don’t have to get a new one.” Amanda grinned and walked away.

Sarek raised an eyebrow in approval. “Indeed?”

Almost three hours later, Spock stretched, closing his textbook. “I believe I am prepared for whatever Dr. Daystrom has in store,” he said confidently.

“Good.” T.S. smiled at him proudly. Suddenly his stomach gurgled. “Well, I’m absolutely famished.”

Hungry...food...wasn’t there something Spock had forgotten?

“ _Boys! Dinner’s ready!_ ”

“Oh! I suppose that’s my cue to go,” said T.S., standing up.

“No, please, stay,” said Spock. “My parents won’t mind at all.”

“Well, I would, but I’m afraid I’m a vegetarian. I’m sure your mother’s cooking is lovely, but-”

“We’re vegetarians too!” Spock said. “My mother is making eggplant casserole.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” T.S. grinned. “I’d be chuffed to stay.”

* * *

Jim stared at his watch. 8:15. Spock had never been late to anything in his _life_. He’d been born three days before his due date. What was keeping him?

Jim had shown up at 7:50 at Big Tex Barbecue and gotten a booth for Spock and himself. He’d worn a nice shirt (and prayed he didn’t get barbecue sauce on it) and stolen some of his dad’s old aftershave. It was sort of pungent but he’d only used a little. It had to be better than AXE body spray, right?

The waitress came by, pad and pen in hand, looking at him expectantly. Her nametag said “ALI”. It was her third time coming over for his order.

Jim sighed. “I’ll give him a few more minutes,” he said. “Can I get some more sweet tea in the meantime?”

Ali nodded patiently and walked away.

Jim rapped his knuckles on the table nervously. He was tempted to speed up time to get to the part of the evening where Spock was here, and they were chatting and having a good time. Besides...Jim was planning to ask Spock to homecoming tonight.

Jim fingered the carnation lying in his lap under the table. He’d bought it especially for Spock. His stomach was doing somersaults. Soon. Spock would be here soon...right?

Ali, not only a waitress but also the co-owner of the restaurant, made her way over to the drink station to get the tea. The cook, the other owner (and Ali’s wife), stuck her head out of the order window. “That poor guy is still waiting?” she asked. She was short with red hair.

“Yeah,” said Ali. “I think he got stood up.”

“Poor thing. I’ll send him some free dessert. On the house.”

“Yeah. Kid looks like someone ran over his puppy. It _must_ be love.”

* * *

“So, T.S., do we know your parents?” Amanda asked.

T.S. smiled somberly. “I doubt it. They lived in England, and they died years ago.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s quite alright. When I was ten years old, I was sent here to live with relatives. Then I was bitten by a radioactive bug, and you know the rest.”

“So your parents didn’t have powers?” Sarek inferred.

“No, sir. This casserole is sublime, Mrs. Grayson.”

“Thank you,” Amanda said, beaming. “And just so you know, you’re welcome over for dinner anytime.”

“I may take you up on that, madam.” T.S. grinned back at her, then looked at Sarek. “Although, I will admit, I did have ulterior motives in coming here this evening. You see, as student body president, I’m in charge of planning the annual homecoming dance-”

“Say no more,” said Amanda. “Sarek and I would be glad to chaperone.”

“That’s very kind of you, but actually...we’ve started a new tradition this year: the Hero of the Year award. And it was a unanimous decision that the two of you should be the recipients.”

“Quite an honor,” Sarek said. “Though I’m not sure we derserve it.”

“Did you not strike down a giant robot that was terrorizing the city only last month? Not to mention your glorious defeats in the past over landmark supervillains like the Gunslinger and Nexus.”

“I’d hardly call Nexus a ‘landmark villain’,” Sarek scoffed. “He was little more than a irritant, a chaotic buffoon unlikely to go down in infamy.”

Spock could’ve sworn T.S. frowned momentarily at his father...but his bright smile was back so instantaneously that Spock thought he must’ve imagined it. “Nevertheless...you must come and accept. We’d be so honored.”

Amanda looked at Sarek. “Well, I’m in.”

“I believe I am too, my dear.” Sarek nodded. “We accept.”

T.S. grinned. “ _Super_.”

* * *

A piece of pecan pie with vanilla ice cream was slid under Jim’s nose. Jim looked up in confusion. “Oh, I didn’t order...oh. It’s you.”

None other than Leonard McCoy was standing over him. “We know each other?” he said in a gruff voice.

“Uh...yeah. I’m friends with your...arch nemesis, I guess.”

“Oh. Yeah. Now I remember you. You’re Grayson’s buddy.”

Jim sighed into his ice cream. “Yeah, uh...I was supposed to be meeting him here, but...” Jim looked up at him again. “Do you wanna sit down?”

“With you?” Bones raised an eyebrow, like Spock often did.

“Uh...yeah, you’re right, that’s stupid...sorry.” Jim looked back at his pie.

Bones hesitated, then sank down into the booth across from him. “Eh, might as well. I’m due for my break.”

“You’re not gonna...barbecue me, are you?” Jim joked.

Bones shrugged. “Only if you get on my bad side.” He gave Jim a scary grin.

Jim laughed nervously. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

“That’s the point.” Bones eyed Jim’s pie. “You gonna eat that?”

Jim smiled, pushing it to the center of the table. “Wanna share?”

Bones pulled a spare fork from his apron. “Don’t mind if I do.”

* * *

“Very chivalrous of you to walk me home,” T.S. commented as they strolled through the shadowy streets.

“Well, after all, I am the...punch man?” Spock tried.

“You’ll have to come up with a _much_ better hero persona than that before you graduate,” T.S. chuckled. “Luckily you have almost four years to think about it.”

“Do you have one picked out?”

“Oh yes. I’ve known what I was going to call myself for quite a long time.”

“May I ask what it is?”

“It’s...a surprise. But believe me, it’ll cause quite a stir.” T.S. chuckled, then sighed. “It’s hard to believe I’m graduating this spring. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” said Spock shyly. “Why is a senior like you fraternizing with a lowly freshman like me?”

“You’re hardly _lowly_. You’re a hero, and a legacy.”

“Still...”

T.S. smiled at him alluringly. They stopped walking. “Perhaps I’m planning to ask you to homecoming,” he said.

Spock felt a sharp blush bloom on his cheeks. “Me?”

“Indeed.” T.S. stepped closer. “Would you like to go?” he said in a soft purr.

Spock pushed his glasses up his nose and slid his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground bashfully. “Sure,” he murmured.

T.S. grinned. “Wonderful...well, I’m afraid this is me.” T.S. gestured to the dark house before them. “Parting is such sweet sorrow, is it not?”

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s home,” Spock said curiously.

“I’m sure my folks are just out. I’ll see you tomorrow, shall I?”

Spock nodded.

Then T.S. leaned forward and pecked his cheek. “Goodnight,” he said softly, then he turned away and headed up his walk.

Spock watched him go inside, then turned and began heading back home, feeling as though he was walking on air.

(If he’d looked down, he would’ve realized that he was.)

* * *

“...so Spock could _not_ understand how I was checking out more books than him at the library _and_ managing to read all of them before they were due. He was the school record holder for most books read in a year...until I came along. Finally I took pity on him and confessed that I’d been using my powers to freeze time so I could read all the books. After he got over the shock of meeting another kid with super DNA, he was _so_ pissed that I’d gotten ahead by cheating. I thought he was gonna punch me! But then I told him I’d use my powers to help him catch up to me, and that we could tie for first place together. And we’ve been best friends ever since.”

“Hmm,” said Bones thoughtfully, after having listened patiently to Jim’s story. “So did the book thing make you fall for him or was it something else?”

“ _What?_ ” Jim exclaimed. “I’m not-! Uh...ha. Yeah right. Like I’d actually fall in love with that nerdy little...shut up, you don’t know anything!”

“Yeah, uh huh. If Hank Williams were here, he’d say you were so lonesome, you could cry.”

Jim frowned at the melting ice cream. “Is it that obvious?”

“You might as well be wearin’ a big neon sign.”

“Great,” sighed Jim, taking a big spoonful of ice cream and shoving it in his mouth. Then his eyes widened as a searing pain formed in his head. “Bray freesh! Bray freesh!” he cried, his mouth still full.

“Hold on, hold on,” Bones leaned forward. He calmly pressed a thumb to Jim’s forehead and after a moment, the brain freeze abated.

Jim blinked at him, then swallowed. “Did you just... _heat up_ my brain?” he asked.

“Don’t be an idiot,” scoffed Bones. “I have healing powers. Got them from my mom’s side.”

Jim blushed. “Oh! Uh...thank you.”

Bones smirked.

“Lenny, sweetie,” said the cook from the window. “Your break was over five minutes ago.”

“Right. Sorry, Aunt Ren.” Bones got up with a sigh. “Guess I’ll see you at school. You’re not so bad, Kirk. Sickeningly sweet but...not bad.”

Jim smiled timidly. “Thank you...I think.”

“And hey...if you ask me, you should tell Grayson how you feel. Not that I wanna see that little worm happy, but...you owe it to yourself.”

Jim walked Bones disappear into the kitchen and bit his lip. Then before he left the restaurant, he left a _big_ tip on the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I know it LOOKS like it’s going to be Spock/T.S. and McKirk but Spirk is the endgame!!! Trust me.
> 
> Also yes, Ren and Ali (Bones’s lesbian aunts) are me and my girlfriend (Geritashipper123). Fun fact, I actually am from Texas.


	9. Relationship Status

“Good morning,” said Spock, more ebullient than usual as he joined Jim at the bus stop Monday morning.

“Hey,” Jim said in a less than enthusiastic tone.

“What’s the matter? Did you actually wake up with your alarm clock instead of manipulating time?” Spock teased. He was in a very good mood.

“Nah. I’m just in a bad mood. This jerk was supposed to meet me on Friday night, but he stood me up and now I’m kind of sore at him.” Jim cast Spock a pointed look.

Then Spock realized what he’d forgotten on Friday night. “Oh. Oh no...Jim, I am so sorry. I completely forgot. I got distracted, I was studying for a science test all night that night and then my mom made eggplant casserole and you know how much I love eggplant casserole-”

“Okay, okay,” Jim laughed softly. “You know I can’t stay mad at you when you get all cute and ramble-y. I forgive you.”

Spock smiled. “You are a saint.”

“Neh. Saints are all a bunch of dead dudes with beards. With this face, I’m an angel.” Jim grinned. “But anyway...I actually have something to tell you.”

“I have news as well,” said Spock brightly. “It’s about homecoming.”

Jim’s heart began to beat faster. “Oh, really?” he said hopefully.

“Yes. I have a date.”

Jim’s entire frame slumped. “You...do?”

“Yes. T.S. Elliot asked me. Jim...I think I might finally have a real boyfriend soon.”

“Oh...awesome!” Jim said, forcing a smile. His heart was shattering into a million pieces.

“And maybe at the dance I’ll have my first _real_ kiss,” Spock continued, totally oblivious.

Jim looked down at his shoes. “Yeah...I guess I don’t count. Since we’re just friends.”

“I never thought I’d be excited about a school dance. But now...oh, here comes the bus.”

The Enterprise pulled up and the door swung open. “Hey, fellas!” said Hikaru brightly.

Spock and Jim took their seats. It took until nearly the end of the ride for Spock to recall that Jim had news as well. “Oh by the way, what did you want to tell me?”

“Um...I’m going to homecoming too,” Jim said.

“You got a date? With whom?” Spock inquired.

“Uhh...”

The bus touched down onto the landing platform outside the school and the students stood up. Jim stood up to leave too. “Leonard McCoy,” he tossed over his shoulder quickly before climbing off the bus.

Spock’s mouth dropped open in shock. After a moment of standing stock still, he power-walked after Jim. “I beg your pardon, _who_ are you going to the dance with?”

“I told you. Leonard McCoy,” Jim said casually. “He’s a little rough around the edges, but really nice once you get to know him.”

“Rough around the-?!” Spock spluttered. How the hell was Jim being so cavalier about this?! “You call trying to roast me alive ‘ _a little rough around the edges_ ’?! Have you completely lost your mind?”

“What? He hates _you_ , not me.”

“Exactly! He hates me! He wants me _dead!_ How you can even go out with him?! Look, completely disregarding the violent psychopath factor, may I remind you that he’s a _guy_?”

“ _You’re_ judging me for going out with someone of the same gender? Is that a _little_ hypocritical?”

“But you’re straight!”

“I’m _pansexual_ , you asshole!” Jim snapped loudly, causing several students to turn around and look at them quizzically. “I always have been,” Jim continued, turning to open his locker.

“No you’re not. You’ve only dated girls.”

“So?! I don’t have to fill some kind of quota to _prove_ that I’m pan. I like girls, I like guys, I like whoever. Geez, I expected you of all people to be open minded about this.”

“Okay, I’m sorry, you’re right. I support you completely. I was just...surprised. I thought I knew everything about you.”

“There’s a _lot_ you don’t know about me,” Jim huffed, pulling out a textbook.

“Okay, but what I don’t understand is when he asked you. I mean, when did you two even start hanging out?!”

Jim slammed his locker door shut and whirled around, glaring at him. “Friday night. 8 o’clock. Big Tex Barbecue,” he spat. Then he stomped off to Hero Support.

Spock was left standing alone in the hallway, staring after him with a knot of guilt in his stomach.

* * *

Jim plopped his tray on Bones’s table and sat down. The cafeteria was finally repaired after the big fight. “Hi, Bones,” he said cheerfully, taking a large bite of his sandwich. “Whatcha readin’?”

Bones stared at him over the top of his book incredulously. “...did I do or say anything the other night to make you think this is okay?”

“Are ve sitting at _McCoy’s_ table now? I feel _wery_ dangerous,” said Pavel, sliding in next to Jim, along with Scotty, Nyota, and Hikaru.

“Try the other way around, Geek Patrol,” Bones growled. He pierced Jim with a glare. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“You know, I have the funniest story,” said Jim. “This morning, I was going to ask Spock to homecoming, but then, I told him I was going with you instead. Isn’t that funny?”

“You and I have very different definitions of ‘funny’, sunshine,” Bones said.

Suddenly Jim saw Spock coming up the aisle with T.S. and his ilk and burst into loud laughter. “Oh _Leonard_ , you’re too much!” he exclaimed with a fake grin.

Spock looked at them suspiciously, but T.S. pulled him along. They waited until the group was out of earshot, then Bones leaned forward. “Okay. I think I get it. You’re just doing this to get to Grayson, right?”

“Yeah,” Jim whispered.

Bones actually grinned. “Then I’m in.”

Then he quickly frowned again.

“But I’m not renting a tux.”

Grabbing his book, his tray, and his bag, he stood and stomped out of the cafeteria.

“Soooo...if McCoy isn’t sitting here anymore, is zis still ze tough guy table?” Pavel asked.

* * *

As the next few weeks progressed, and Homecoming got closer and closer, things felt weirder and weirder. Spock and Jim weren’t speaking, and their friends felt caught in the middle. Plus Spock’s new friends were taking up more and more of his time, creating even more distance between him and the group.

Plus Jim was hanging out with Spock’s mortal enemy a lot more.

Jim was walking to class when he saw Spock coming from the other direction, arm in arm with T.S. Jim spotted his fake boyfriend and rushed to Bones’s side, taking his hand. “Hey, baby, I was just thinking about you today,” he said as Spock passed by them. “I’m _so_ excited about Homecoming, I cannot wait for...”

Jim trailed off as Spock and his new boyfriend disappeared. Then a sudden, burning pain made him go “OW!” Bones had burned him.

Bones pressed his hand back into Jim’s and used his healing powers on him, leaning forward to whisper in his ear: 

“ _N e v e r_ call me baby.”

He let go of Jim’s hand and took off down the hall. Jim’s cheeks suddenly felt...hot.

Nyota and Scotty were leaning against their lockers, watching the whole ordeal. “This is just like a Good Charlotte song,” commented the goth.

“I’ll be glad when this whole Homecomin’ ordeal is over,” said Scotty. He looked at Nyota. “I s’pose yer no’ goin’, eh?”

“That’s what everyone expects of me. So I’m going to just to spite them.”

“Ah. Well, I’m going to have fun,” said Scotty.

“How...sincere of you,” Nyota sighed, mostly with boredom, but maybe also...a little fondness?

After a moment, Nyota cleared her throat. “I also, uh...have a really pretty dress to wear. So, like...yeah. Whatever.” She looked down at her shoes.

“I guess we’ll all have a good time then,” said Scotty brightly.

Nyota glared at him. “Ugh, you are such an idiot!” She stomped away, her combat boots loud against the tile floor.

Scotty scratched his head as Hikaru sidled up to him. “What did I say?” the steampunk wondered aloud.

“Scotty, my friend, take it from a gay man...you know nothing about women. She was hinting for you to _ask_ her.”

“She _was?_ ” Scotty said, shocked. “But doesn’t she hate me?”

“Dude, she hates _everything_. She just hates you less. Plus she thinks your plucky, can-do attitude is dorkishly endearing.”

“But why wouldn’t she just come out and say it? Or hell, ask me herself? It’s 2019!”

“Because she’s _shy_. That whole counterculture, fuck the world persona is a defense mechanism. Plus she’s never had a crush before and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.”

Scotty stared at Hikaru in awe. “You read all of that from her? If you were straight, you would be a _god_.”

“You mean, more than I already am?” Hikaru smirked. “Anyway...go get her, cupcake.” He patted Scotty on the shoulder encouragingly and took off for class. Scotty took a deep breath and followed after his lady.

He found Nyota sitting alone outside sitting on a bench, writing in a black moleskin. “What are you writing?” Scotty asked politely.

Nyota jumped in surprise. “Poetry about cigarettes, mind your own business!” she yelped.

Scotty tilted his head in confusion.

Nyota sighed. “Sorry. Knee jerk reaction.” She scooted over to give Scotty some room next to her.

“So...” Scotty rubbed his hands nervously. “Just so you know...I’ve never asked anyone out before.”

Nyota grew rigid. “You haven’t?”

“No. But see, uh...there’s this really special girl who I wanted to ask to Homecoming. She’s really mean to me, and she writes poetry about cigarettes. She’s weird. I like that about her.”

Nyota smiled shyly and hid her face in her moleskin.

“So...you think she’d say yes?” Scotty asked.

Nyota peeked at him. “Yeah. I think so.”

Scotty beamed.

“But don’t buy her a corsage. They’re lame,” Nyota barked.

“Okay. What about regular flowers?”

Nyota’s tiny, bashful smile was back. She nodded at her boots. “Flowers would be okay.”

“Okay.” Scotty’s hand moved closer to hers, their fingers brushing. “I’ll pick you up at 6 then? We can get some dinner at that Thai place you like before the dance.”

Nyota nodded again. “Okay.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Nyota leaned forward and kissed him swiftly. When she leaned back, there were matching blushes on their faces. After a moment, they both began to giggle nervously.

“We’re really late for class,” Scotty said.

“Pike’s gonna be so pissed,” Nyota added. Given the big, cheesy grins on their faces, however, they didn’t seem too concerned.

Scotty stood up. “Come on. Maybe we can beg for his mercy.”

“Pike _has_ no mercy, you know that.” Nyota shoved her moleskin. Scotty held out his hand to her. Nyota looked at it, then at him, incredulously. “Seriously? That is _so_ cheesy.”

Scotty smiled knowingly, wiggling his fingers.

Nyota rolled her eyes, pretending to be disgusted, but she was smiling. “ _Fine_.” She took his hand and held it as they walked back into the building. “If you turn me into a mushball, I’m going to kill you. With murder.”

Scotty couldn’t stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, none of the gang are straight. Jim is pan, Spock is gay, Bones is bi, Scotty is bi, Nyota is bi, Hikaru is gay, and Chekov is aro/ace. :D
> 
> Also, remember, they’re all 14 and 15 (except Bones who is a sophomore and is 16, and Hikaru who is 17 and a senior). AWKWARD TEENAGE LOVE IS AWKWARD!
> 
> Anyway, I’m making this into a series. I have plansssssssssss >:))))))) -Ren


	10. House Party

T.S. was back again at Spock’s house just a couple of nights before Homecoming. T.S. has said that he would not rest until Spock could “build a ray gun blindfolded.” And it turned out he’d meant it literally.

“This is like a nerdy 50 Shades Of Gray,” Spock said, his hands roving blindly over his bedspread for the right part.

“Sadly without the fun bits,” T.S. chuckled from a few feet away.

Spock found...something and picked it up. “Is this the...trigger?”

“That’s the fusion device.”

“Oh.” Spock’s fingers bumped into something flat and smooth, and he tilted his head in confusion. “What’s this?”

“That’s my phone,” T.S. chuckled.

Spock took off the bandana tied around his face as the phone began to buzz. “Superstrong _and_ psychic,” T.S. said jokingly, plucking it from his hand and bringing it to his ear. “Hello?...Janice, I can’t understand you when you’re all talking at once...what? Oh no...” He groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Alright, let me call you back.” He hung up and sighed.

“What is it?” Spock said.

“Janice forgot to order the fog machines for the dance. I might have to build them myself,” T.S. said. He looked at Spock. “Could I trouble you to let the Homecoming committee stop by? I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“Oh...I don’t know, my parents aren’t here, and they don’t usually let me have people over unless it’s Jim...they made an exception for you since you’re tutoring me, but...”

“Ah. Yes, I see.” T.S. nodded. “I _was_ hoping we could spend more time together...” He gazed into Spock’s eyes, and Spock blushed. “But it can’t be helped, I suppose.” T.S. slid off the bed and headed for the door. He smiled wistfully at Spock. “See you school then.”

Spock swallowed nervously, then called out just before T.S. disappeared. “Uh, wait!”

T.S. paused.

“I mean, if it’s just a _few_ people...”

T.S. smiled. “ _Super_.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later, loud heavy metal was blasting out the Graysons’ speakers, and there were people _everywhere_. Spock looked around in a panic.

Julian, in rock monster form, tromped through the living room, bowl of snacks in hand. He plopped down onto the living room couch, next to two sophomore girls, Jadzia and Kira. The couch was threatening to buckle under his massive weight.

“Julian!” Spock exclaimed, rushing over. “Do you have to be a two-ton rock _right now?!_ Power down, please!”

Julian grunted and morphed back into his human form. He turned to the girls and grinned. “Hello, ladies.”

Jadzia and Kira rolled their eyes, holding hands as they walked away.

Spock spotted two guys dragging a cooler full of drinks across the room. “Guys, _please_ , the floor!” he said. He picked up the heavy cooler full of ice with ease and carried it across the room, setting it on the dining room table. That’s where he ran into T.S., chatting with one of Janice’s clones. “ _T.S.!_ ” he shouted over the music. “I thought you said this was the _homecoming committee!_ ”

“This _is_ the homecoming committee!” said T.S. brightly. Spock gave him an incredulous look. T.S. sighed. “Alright, so a few extra people may have shown up. You’re popular, Spock! It happens.”

“My parents are going to kill me!” Spock cried. “How am I going to get this place cleaned up before they come home?!”

T.S. sighed patiently. He took Spock’s hand and said, “Come with me.”

T.S. led him through the living room and into his father’s study, shutting the door behind them. “Now...what's on your mind?”

Spock sighed, leaning against his father’s desk. “My friends.”

“I take it you mean the sidekicks,” said T.S.

“You know, I think I’m just going to call Jim and Scotty-”

“Oh, Spock,” sighed T.S. fondly, cupping his chin. “You are such a sweetheart. But do you honestly think they'd have fun here? With all these people?”

“Why wouldn’t they have fun?” Spock asked, mystified.

“Trust me, darling. They'd be miserable.” T.S.’s hand had moved to gently stroke a spot behind Spock’s ear. Spock shivered, and T.S. began to lean toward him-

Suddenly Sean Finnegan came bursting in. “Whoa!” he exclaimed at the sight of them.

T.S. smiled tightly. “A little privacy, please?”

“Sorry!” Finnegan burped. “Just lookin' for a bucket!”

He pulled the door shut and Spock frowned. A bucket for _what?_ On second thought...he didn’t really want to know.

T.S. sighed. “I wish there was somewhere we could go to...be alone.” He looked at Spock significantly.

Spock gulped. Then he looked over at the fake bookcase. No, he _couldn’t..._ could he?

Spock stood up. “Let me show you something.”

* * *

Jim was studying in his room when he heard loud music coming from outside. He poked his head out the window and looked at Spock’s house. _A rager? At Spock’s house?_ he thought, bewildered. He grabbed his yellow hoodie and headed downstairs to investigate.

* * *

“Wow,” said T.S., gazing in awe at the Secret Sanctum. “This is incredible.” He looked over at the trophy display. “Are these souvenirs from your parents’ battles?” He fingered the Bjorn wonderingly.

“Yes,” said Spock awkwardly, pushing his glasses up his nose. “I guess when you’ve been fighting supervillains as long as they have, you make a lot of memories.”

T.S. turned around, smirking. He walked slowly toward Spock. “Perhaps we should make a few of our own,” he said pointedly.

A blush spread across Spock’s face as he approached. T.S.’s arm slid around his waist and his face loomed close to his.

Suddenly, all Spock could think of was Jim kissing him in their tree house when they were 13.

“Erm...” Spock slid out of T.S.’s grasp. “Maybe we should go back to the party.”

T.S. frowned slightly, but he nodded. “Well, if you insist.”

Spock nodded with relief, nodding toward the stairs. As he and T.S. walked toward the exit, he didn’t notice as a blur rushed past the trophy display, and Nexus’s Bjorn disappearing with it.

* * *

Jim found himself surrounded by Janices. He nodded nervously. “Evening, ladies.”

“Who invited you, sidekick?” sneered one Janice.

“Isn't it past your bedtime, Jimothy?” scoffed another.

T.S. spotted Jim with the Janices as he and Spock emerged from the study. He turned to Spock, flashing him his most dazzling smile. “Darling, could you be a lamb and get me a diet sarsaparilla?”

“Sure,” said Spock, cutting into the crowd to get to the dining room. T.S. scowled and stalked over to where Jim was.

“What are you doing here?” Janice questioned.

“Leaving,” said T.S. flatly before Jim had a chance to respond.

“I assume _you’re_ responsible for this shindig,” Jim said, glaring at T.S. “Do his parents know about this?”

“What do you _want_ , Kirk.”

“I _want_ to talk to Spock.”

“Well he doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Jim scoffed. “Look, I’ve been his best friend since the fifth grade. Just because we had a little argument doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

“Oh, that’s not why. Don’t you get it, lover boy? Spock _knows_ about your little infatuation with him.”

Jim’s eyes widened in horror. “He does?”he whispered.

“ _Everyone_ does. Spock’s just too soft-hearted to say that he's not interested. Not that you seem to be able to take a hint.” T.S. smirked. “I mean, come on. He’s going to Homecoming with _me_ , not you. He threw a party without inviting you, and you live right next door. You're honestly just sort of a big _joke_ to him.”

Jim felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He nodded fervently. “Okay. I understand. And, um...when you see Spock, can you tell him that I never want to talk to him again?”

T.S. smiled sweetly. “I'll give him the message.”

Suddenly Spock appeared with T.S.’s soda. He saw the time traveler and smiled. “Jim!”

Jim glared at him and turned away, pushing through the crowd.

“Jim?” Spock followed him. “Jim? Jim!”

Spock managed to grab his arm just as Jim was headed out the door. Jim whirled and said angrily, eyes wet with tears, “Have fun with T.S.—you two deserve each other.”

He shook his arm free and stomped off into the night, leaving Spock feeling _very_ confused. He turned and went back to T.S., who grabbed the drink out of Spock’s hand. “Ah. Thank you, darling.”

“What did you say to Jim?” Spock inquired.

T.S. shrugged. “Nothing. Well, nothing that wasn’t true. You're a hero, he's a sidekick; he was holding you back.”

Spock stood there, stunned. “Why would you do that? Jim is my _best friend._ ”

“Well, you've got _new_ friends now,” T.S. grinned. “And I think that you need to figure out whether you want to hang with _us_...or with those losers.”

Spock stared at him in disbelief.

T.S. chuckled, grabbing him by the hand. “Come on, darling, let's go.”

“No, forget it,” Spock said, staying rooted firmly in place. “And I’m _not_ your darling.”                 

“Spock?”

“It’s over,” said Spock sternly. “I’d suggest finding a new date to homecoming, T.S. Because I’m not going with you. Not after the way you treated someone I care about.”

T.S.’s mouth dropped open, and that dark look Spock caught a glimpse of before returned. “You're... _dumping_ me?”

Spock glared at him, resolute. The people around them were staring,

“Who the _hell_ do you think you are?” T.S. seethed, getting close to him and poking him in the chest. “Do you know who you’re talking to? If it weren’t for me, you’d still be playing Legos with the sidekicks. You do _not_ dump me! Not this close to the dance!  

Spock straightened his glasses. “Sorry, T.S. I just did.”

T.S. looked down right murderous. Spock raised his voice to shout over the music and the chatter: “That's it. Everyone, out! Party's _over!_ ”

“Don't stop on our account,” said another voice.

The noise grinded to a halt as Spock whirled around to see his parents, in full Ambassador and Aviatrix garb, standing there, looking absolutely furious.

 _Oh no_ , groaned Spock inwardly. As if this night could get any worse.

“Your father and I fly to Europe for three hours, and you throw a _party?_ ” Amanda growled.

Sarek just stared, stone-faced at him. Then he slowly turned to the partygoers and said, “When I reach the count of three, I want everyone _OUT OF THIS HOUSE._ **_ONE-!_** ”

Sarek _never_ raised his voice.

The partygoers fled in terror. They didn’t need him to reach two. The three remaining Graysons stood there in loaded silence.

“Well, I, I am just flummoxed,” said Amanda, striding across the room. She swept some trash off of the couch to sit down. “Spock, what the hell were you thinking? No, don’t answer that, because I already know. You _weren’t_ thinking. You were letting your new friends to tell you what to do, weren’t you? T.S. and those other ones.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about them, anymore,” said Spock, heading for the stairs. “T.S. and I broke up, and I’m not going to Homecoming anymore.”

“Not going?” said Sarek. “But they’re giving us an award; you _have_ to go.”

“They’re giving it to you and Mom, you can go and I’ll just stay home. It’ll be less for Mom to carry anyway.”

“Where are you going? We are _not_ done talking about this!” Amanda said as Spock went up the stairs.

“I’ll clean the house in the morning,” Spock said over his shoulder.

“Spock, your mother is speaking to you!” Sarek shouted.

“You are _grounded_ , Mister!” Amanda added.

Spock’s door swung shut, leaving the two superparents with their mouths hanging open.

* * *

Spock pulled out his phone, texting Jim frantically.

_—Jim, whatever T.S. told you, it isn’t true._

_—You’re my best friend, and I care about you more than anyone in the world._

_—I’m sorry. About our fight, not inviting you to the party, everything. Just...please text me back._

_—Okay, or don’t. But I’m going to Big Tex Barbecue, meet me there if you want to talk._

Spock slipped his phone in his pocket, and slipped out his window. He was already in enough trouble with his parents—what harm could a little more do?


	11. Tolian Soran

Spock stared gloomily at his phone screen. Jim hadn’t even read his texts. Spock sighed and put his phone away, taking a drink of his sweet tea. He winced. He liked sweet things, but this was _way_ too sweet.

“What are you doing here?” Spock looked up to see none other than his arch nemesis standing over his booth. “Aren’t you a vegan or something?”

“Vegetarian,” said Spock. “I still drink milk and stuff. I just don’t eat meat or eggs.”

“Well I hate to break it to ya, sugar, but unless you want just a side salad, there ain’t much on the menu for you,” Bones scoffed.

Spock sighed. “This is Jim’s favorite restaurant. I was hoping he’d be here.” He looked up at Bones. “You don’t know where he is, so you?”

Bones shrugged. “How should I know?”

“Because you're taking him to homecoming.”

Bones looked like he just remembered that. “Oh, yeah. Right.” He sighed and slid into the booth across from Spock.

This night certainly had taken a weird turn. Now he was sharing a table and all his problems with his arch enemy. “Well, you don't have to worry about me ruining your night,” Spock said.

“And why is that?”

Spock shrugged. “Because I'm not going.”

Bones snorted thoughtfully. “Well, that sucks. Because we're only going together to make you jealous.”

Spock’s eyebrows knit together. “What?”

“You don’t know?” Bones chuckled. “You really are an idiot. He's completely in love with you.”

“What?” Spock said again. “No...he couldn’t-” But then he really thought about it.

_“You know I am famously bad at confrontation.” “And at telling the truth, and at noticing things that are right in front of you...” “What’s right in front of me?” “Oh! Uh...nothing, that was just a general...comment...”_

_“He only needs one seat.” “So he can sit vis his friend.” “Yep, just friends. That’s all...”_

_“Don’t worry about it,” said Jim, smiling up at him as Spock let go of his hand. “I didn’t mind.”_

_“Your parents are celebrities and you’re hot as hell to boot. I wouldn’t put much hope in ‘blending in’.” “You think I’m...hot?”_

_“Besides..." Jim smiled shyly at him. "If I was a hero and you were a sidekick, we'd never get to see each other.”_

_“There’s a_ **_lot_ ** _you don’t know about me.”_

“Holy shit,” Spock whispered. “I _am_ an idiot.”

“For once I agree with you, Grayson,” Bones snorted. “And when you found out he was goin’ to the dance with me and it bugged you so bad, I’m willin’ to bet only part of it was ‘cause of his choice of partner.”

Spock blinked in double realization. “Oh my god...I love Jim,” he breathed.

Well, it was obvious, wasn’t it? Loving Jim seemed as natural as gravity, or _breathing_. He loved Jim so much that it was a completely unconscious emotion. Suddenly all Spock could think of kissing Jim, holding his hand, cuddling in his arms, and he wondered why the hell they hadn’t been doing that all along.

Then he remembered the heartbreak in Jim’s eyes as he stormed out of Spock’s house earlier that night. “Well it doesn’t matter now. Jim hates me. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he or any of the other guys ever want to talk to me again.”

“Yeah,” said Bones, getting up. “You must have been a real jerk. Because no matter what I do, I can't get 'em to stop talking to me.” He sarcastically patted Spock on the back as he walked away.

“Thanks,” sighed Spock. “Hey, Bones?”

The firemaker turned around.

“Um...do me a favor. Make sure Jim has fun at the dance. Please.”

Bones stared at him, then nodded silently.

Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all, Spock mused to himself.

* * *

Spock spent the next two days cleaning up the party. It was radio silence from all his friends. That was to be expected.

“I’m worried about him,” said Amanda to Sarek, watching Spock work from the kitchen. “What do you think happened at that party?”

“Probably underage drinking and unprotected sex,” Sarek murmured, sipping his tea.

“I mean _to him_ ,” Amanda said. “He’s barely said a word about that night. I wish he’d come to the dance with us. I think it’d do him good.”

“He’ll be ready in his own time,” said Sarek. “After all, look how long it took his powers to come in.” He smiled.”

The house was spick and span by early evening on Homecoming night. After it got his parents’ seal of approval, Spock crawled up in the old treehouse to brood. He stared at the spot he and Jim had sat in once when they shared their first kiss. Spock wondered if that was the moment Jim fell in love with Spock, or if they’d always been in love, before they even met.

He heard a car pull up outside Jim’s house and looked out the window of the treehouse. He watched as Bones, in a black suit, walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

 _Should have been me_ , Spock thought longingly.

* * *

Winona Kirk answered the door. She was Jim’s super parent, with the ability to travel through space. Obviously her son had taken after her. She worked as an astrophysicist for NASA. Jim’s father George had died when he was very young. Jim had an older brother, Sam, who did not inherit the supergene. He was off at college studying agriculture.

Winona stared in surprise at the well dressed young man on her doorstep with flowers in his hand. “Well hello,” she said. “Are you Jim’s friend?”

“Yes, ma’am. Well, I’m his date, actually,” Bones said. “I’m Leonard McCoy. We’re going to the Homecoming dance together.”

“Oh! Well, I’ll get him. Please, come in.”

Bones stood by the fireplace as Winona called upstairs. “Jim? Leonard’s here to take you to the dance.”

After a few minutes, Jim came down the stairs with a look of surprise. Judging by his jeans and tee shirt, he had not been expecting to still be going to the dance. “Bones? What are you doing here?”

“Well, I said I’d take you to the dance, so...here I am.”

“Well yeah, but that was to make Spock jealous. And that failed miserably. I didn’t think you’d actually want to go through with it.”

Bones shrugged. “I didn’t have anything better to do anyway.”

Jim looked at the flowers in Bones’s hand. “Uh huh. And you bought flowers for me?”

“Who said they’re for you, sunshine?” Bones snorted. “Maybe I got them for me. Maybe I like flowers.”

Jim slowly smiled.

Bones sighed. “Look. Your lover boy was at the restaurant the other night. He said you were pretty miserable. So I figured...goin’ to the dance might cheer you up. But hey, if you’re not up for it-”

Jim snatched the bouquet out of Bones’s hand, inhaling their scent. “Gimme a sec to put on my suit, okay?”

Bones smiled. “Take all the time you need.”

Jim grinned as he backed out of the room. In almost an instant, he returned, freshly showered, coiffed, made up, and dressed in a gold tux.

“Whoa,” said Bones, blinking. “How did you do that?”

“Time travel powers,” said Jim with a wink.

Bones’s eyes widened. “ _That’s_ the power you’ve been hiding from everyone? That’s amazing!”

“Oh I know,” said Jim confidently.

Bones snorted. “And you decided to go with a gold tux. _Gold_.”

“What? I think gold and yellow are my colors.” Jim looked up. “Don’t you?”

Bones couldn’t deny it—Jim looked good. _Real_ good. He smiled softly and nodded.

Jim looked him up and down and said, “And I thought you weren't gonna rent a tux.”

Bones shrugged. “It's my dad's. He doesn't have much use for it in solitary.”

Jim’s mouth twitched sympathetically. “You know...I kind of know how it feels. My dad died when I was nine.”

“Oh, Jim, I’m sorry...”

Jim shook his head. “It’s okay. It’s hard though. He’s not around to teach me all the dad stuff. How to cast a fishing rod. How to drive. How to tie a bow tie.” Jim pointed to his throat. “This is a clippie.”

Bones laughed softly.

“But you end up alright,” said Jim, stepping toward him. “You think part of you will be missing because he was. But you’re okay. You’re a whole person. And you get to choose who you are.” Jim smiled up at him.

Bones realized what he was saying. When people saw him, they usually thought, _there’s David McCoy’s boy. The Gunslinger’s kid. He’ll probably end up just like him..._

But Jim was different. Jim was saying, _I don’t see your father, I see_ **_you_** _._

Bones felt his heart begin to thump as he gazed down at this guy with the big heart and the infectious grin and the twinkly hazel eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered, averting his gaze.

Jim nudged him gently. “Now...let’s get to that dance.”

* * *

Spock watched as Jim walked out on Bones’s arm. He seemed...happy.

_Well...good. That’s all I want for him._

Bones’s car pulled away and Spock sighed, crawling down out of the treehouse. It was starting to get dark.

Sarek found him later down in the Secret Sanctum. “We're leaving now, my son. There is still time to change your mind and come with us.”

Spock smiled reluctantly and shook his head. “No thank you...Dad?” he said, stopping him before he left. “Did you ever feel like you messed something up so badly that you'll never be able to fix it?”

“People make mistakes, Spock. That is what high school—what _life_ is about. The key is to learn from them.”

Spock shrugged. “I hope my friends see it that way.”

“If someone is a true friend, you'd be surprised at how understanding they can be.”

“Thanks, Dad,” said Spock. “And sorry again, about the party.”

“Well you certainly made up for it. The house is cleaner than it’s ever been—don’t tell your mother I said that.” Sarek smiled. Then he handed Spock an old, leather bound book. “Do me a favor and put this away for me. It’s our Superfleet yearbook from when we were seniors. I caught your mother sneaking it out under her cape. She is convinced that everyone wants to share old memories with her.”

Spock chuckled. “Will do.”

Sarek paused before turning to go. “I love you, my son,” he said. “And I am very proud of you. Not for what you can do...but for who you are.”

Spock slowly smiled. “I’m glad to have you as a father, Dad.” He stood up and hugged him.

Sarek hugged him back. Then he left.

Spock sighed, turning the yearbook over in his hands. He decided to sit down and thumb through it. What else did he have to do?

On the opening page, a quote caught his eye:

_Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. —T.S. Eliot_

T.S. _Eliot_. Not Elliot. That’s why his name had sounded familiar. T.S. was named after a famous poet. Spock wondered what the T.S. stood for.    

Spock flipped through the pages of students’ individual headshots. He found his mother under ‘G’ for Grayson. (His father had taken his mother’s name when they were married, instead of the conventional way.) There was Winona Herschel, Jim’s mom, under ‘H’, and David McCoy, Bones’s father, under ‘M’. He scanned the ‘S’ section to look for his dad when another picture caught his eye.

A pale-skinned man, with sharp cheekbones and striking blue eyes. He had chin-length, bouncy chestnut waves of hair, but the young man was otherwise an identical match.

Spock looked at the name underneath: Tolian Soran.

_T. S._

Spock was getting a very bad feeling. He looked in the index for “Soran, Tolian” and found him listed in one other place. He flipped to the “Clubs and Organizations” section and found the science club. There was a photo of several people in lab coats, including Soran. But what was laden in their arms made Spock’s eyes widen with horror.

A ray gun. A very _familiar_ looking ray gun.

Nexus’s Bjorn.

It was all making sense now. The Bjorn killed Nexus before Spock was born, and T.S. said his parents died a long time ago. Both Soran and T.S. had a knack for building ray gun technology. T.S.’s father was Tolian Soran, aka Nexus!

Spock’s gaze darted over to the pedestal displaying the Bjorn...it was _empty._

“Oh, no,” said Spock, getting up. “Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...”

He’d let him _into_ the Secret Sanctum. He might as well have gift-wrapped the Bjorn for him. And now...his parents were on their way to the school where Soran’s son was waiting for them with the very weapon that had killed his father. Not only were they in danger, everyone at the dance was in danger! His friends... _Jim_.

Spock gasped. “I’ve got to get to Superfleet Academy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now the villain’s finally been revealed! Some of you probably already guessed. If you don’t know who Tolian Soran is, he’s the villain from _Star Trek: Generations_ who killed my darling Captain Kirk. For visual reference, he’s played by Malcolm McDowell. In the present, he looks like he did in Generations, and Yearbook!Soran looks like Alex from A Clockwork Orange, also played by Malcolm McDowell.


	12. This is Our Last Dance

The gymnasium was jumping by the time Jim and Bones arrived. “Wow,” said Jim.

Bones nodded. “I agree.”

Jim laughed, then stared up at him. “Hey, there’s something I’ve been wondering. Why are you called ‘Bones’?”

Bones smirked at Jim. “Because I eat them.”

“C’mon,” said Jim, smacking him playfully. “I want to know.”

Bones took a deep breath. “It’s ‘cause of my daddy. He gave me that nickname when I told him I wanted to be a doctor when I was 5.”

“So _that’s_ why you’re always reading those biology books at lunch,” Jim said.

Bones nodded. “In the old days, they used to call doctors ‘Sawbones’ as a nickname. So that’s what my daddy called me, and eventually it got shortened to just ‘Bones.’ Nickname stuck. It really helped with the whole aloof badass gimmick.”

Jim snorted. “You’re so full of it. Anyway, wanna go get some punch?”

Bones shrugged. “Guess so.”

Across the room, Scotty and Nyota were sitting awkwardly side by side, watching all the couples on the floor. Scotty coughed. “Erm...did I tell you you look pretty tonight?”

“Yeah...not that I mind hearing it again,” Nyota said.

“Okay...” Scotty bit his lip. “So, er...did you do the homework yet?”

“Are you going to ask me to dance, or just be a wimp about it?” Nyota replied.

“Oh!” Scotty blushed. “I wasn’t sure you’d want...I mean...dance with me?”

Nyota smiled. “It’s about time.” She grabbed Scotty’s hand and pulled him out on the dance floor.

None of them had a clue about their impending doom.

* * *

Spock groaned as his mother’s phone went to voicemail for the third time. _No distracted flying,_  she always said.

“I have to stop T.S.,” he babbled to himself, pacing. “But how can I if I can’t get a ride to the school? Wait...” He dug his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out a card.

 _Hikaru Sulu, Bus Driver_.

Spock’s fingers couldn’t go fast enough as they dialed the number. Hikaru picked up on the second ring. “ _Yell-o!_ ” he said cheerfully.

“Hikaru, it’s Spock! I need-”

“ _Oh hey! So glad you called! Hey, my boyfriend’s here, do you want to say hi?”_

“Er, hi, Hikaru’s boyfriend?”

“ _Hi!_ ” replied a plucky male voice.

“Hikaru, listen, I _need_ a ride to the school, right now! It’s an emergency!”

“ _Oh shit, that sounds serious. We’ll be right there!_ ” Hikaru hung up the phone and Spock sighed in relief. Then he climbed upstairs to his room and pulled a garment bag from his closet.

After all, he had to time to change, and he’d paid the money to rent the suit. Why not?

* * *

The Ambassador and Aviatrix were about to walk through the doors of the gym when Amanda put her hand on her husband’s shoulder and said, “Sarek, stop. Maybe we should fly home. I feel guilty being here without Spock.”

“My wife, he did ask for solitude.”

“Yes, but...do we really need another award?”

Sarek considered it for a second. “Well...Perhaps you’re right. Let’s go home.”

But just as they were turning to leave, a spotlight illuminated them, and Principal Georgiou’s voice came on over the loudspeaker: “Welcome, Ambassador and Aviatrix!”

The students and staff burst into applause. Sarek and Amanda shrugged and smiled politely, waving as they made their way toward the front.

“Good evening,” said Georgiou. “First, a quick announcement: the owner of the purple cold fusion-powered jetpack, you left your lights on.”

Dr. Daystrom, dressed in a wonderfully hideous purple and orange tux blushed and began to make his way through the people to the exit.

“And now, please help me welcome, the head of the homecoming committee, the man who made all this possible...T.S. Elliot!”

Everyone applauded as T.S., in a dapper black and grey tuxedo, came to the podium. “Thank you, Principal Georgiou. And a _very_ special thank you goes to our guests of honor, and the recipients of our first-ever Hero of the Year award, the Ambassador and the Aviatrix.”

Everyone clapped, and the superhero couple nodded.

“And to mark this occasion,” T.S. continued, “we've planned a special tribute to the most powerful super-being ever to walk the halls of Superfleet Academy.”

Sarek and Amanda began to step forward...

“ _Me!_ ” T.S. exclaimed with a smirk.

Everyone let out noises of confusion as T.S.’s suit suddenly transformed into black armor, and a neon sign descended from the ceiling reading “ **NEXUS LIVES AGAIN**.”

Sarek stared in shock. “No...this is impossible!”

“What’s impossible, my dear Ambassador,” said Nexus in a tinny, mechanized voice, “is how I ever lost to a fool like you. But luckily I’ve been here for the past four years, studying my history, so I don’t end up repeating it. Now...” Nexus pulled the Bjorn, newly fixed, out from inside the podium and aimed it at Sarek. “The moment I’ve been waiting for _years_.”

“You’re bluffing on an empty hand, Nexus. That gun of yours couldn’t kill me 15 years ago, and it can’t kill me now.”

Nexus chuckled darkly. “Oh Ambassador...who said anything about _killing_ you?”

Nexus fired the Bjorn, and a bright bolt of energy shot out, hitting Sarek in the chest. Sarek cringed under the force of the ray, and his knees buckled. His body disappeared, leaving his clothes in a puddle. Amanda gasped, rushing forward and pushing back Sarek’s cape back to find...

A brown-eyed baby staring up at her. Well, now they knew why it was called the Bjorn.

Amanda took flight and rushed the podium, but Nexus was ready for her. He fired another ray at her, and she shrank into a baby as well, letting out a wail as she dropped to the floor.

Luckily Chris was there to catch her, sliding across the shellacked floor like a baseball player sliding into home. “Don’t worry, cuz! I’ve got- _ahhhh!_ ” Chris cried as Nexus fired into his back. He turned a baby as well. He, Amanda, and Sarek toddled on the floor, helpless as...well...babes.

“What'd I miss?” Daystrom said, coming back in, looking around at the panic. Then he screamed “ _Ahhhhh!_ ” as he was shot by the Bjorn right in the center of his giant head.

The people were screaming, rushing for the exits in droves. But they found them blocked off by chain link partitions. And on the other sides were Finnegan, Mitchell, and the Janices, smirking and laughing at the others trapped in. Without a means of escape, they were sitting ducks for the Bjorn.

“Decker!” screeched Georgiou at the coach. “Get the kids out of he- _ahhhhhh!_ ” She shrieked and went down as the Bjorn shot her in the back.

Decker ran over to Bones, who was standing with Jim, Pavel, Scotty, and Nyota. “McCoy! Find an exit! Get as many people out as you can!” Bones nodded and the gang took off as Decker said, “I'll stay here and slow him dOWOWOWWWW!” He sank to the ground, changing into a chubby, drooling baby.

Jim tugged on Bones’s sleeve. “Look, a vent big enough for all of us to crawl through!”

“Convenient...but I’ll take it.” With a grunt, Bones lobbed a fireball at it, and everybody dropped to their hands and knees and filed in.

* * *

The bus pulled up by the school and Spock hopped out, dressed in a form-fitting dark blue suit. “Thanks for the lift, Hikaru.”

“Hey, no problem!” The bus driver was dressed in a dark green tux with flowers embroidered on the lapels. “We were actually about to head up here when you called. Lucky for you, Ben and I were running late!”

“Yeah,” giggled Hikaru’s boyfriend, a non-super named Ben Tanaka. “We were a bit _distracted_.”

Hikaru nudged him. “Hush, you.” He kissed his nose.

“Now, if I'm not back in 15 minutes,” Spock began to say.

“Come in after you! Got it!” Hikaru nodded.

Spock blinked. “I was going to say ‘go get help.’”

Hikaru hesitated, then nodded. “Go get help. Got it! Now get in there!”

Spock took off, running across the lawn like the wind.

Ben leaned over to watch him run off. “Man...he is so _cool_.”

“I know, right?!” squealed Hikaru.

* * *

“Where are we?” Jim said in the dark.

“Hey, Bones, how about a torch?” Pavel called.

Bones snorted from the rear. “Only if you want to get barbecued.”

“Hold on, wait a second,” Scotty said from the front. He placed his hand against the wall. “I can see the building’s schematics. The school computer system is tellin’ me...turn left up ahead. That’s the quickest way out!”

“Damn,” said Nyota, impressed. “Nice going, Scotland.”

“Thank you, me darlin’. Follow me!”

The five of them crawled along until slatted light appeared up ahead. Scotty banged on the grate, but it was tightly screwed in. “Uh oh. We may have hit a wee bit o’ a dead end.”

Suddenly the grate was torn off its hinges, and Spock’s face was peering at them.

Scotty grinned. “Aye, laddie! Look who it is!”

“I’m so glad you all are alright!” Spock sighed as they crawled out of the vent. “You guys are never going to believe this! T.S.-”

“Is Nexus's son,” Jim finished for him.

Spock nodded. “Yes, and he-”

“Stole the Bjorn,” Bones chimed in.

“...right.”

“Also he turned everywody into babies, including your parents,” Pavel added.

Spock blinked in confusion. “Okay. _That_ I didn't know.”

“I think this is even more than the great Spock Grayson can handle,” said Jim, crossing his arms at Spock.

“He's right,” Spock said. “It's going to take all of us.”

“All of _who?_ ” Nyota scoffed. “You and Bones? In case you’ve forgotten, the rest of us are sidekicks whose powers comedically suck.”

“Just because you have powers, that doesn't make you a hero,” Spock replied. “Sometimes it just makes you a jerk...makes _me_ a jerk. I guess what I'm trying to say is-”

“We get it,” said Jim with a reluctant smile. “You've been a jerk.”

Spock stared at him longingly, his heart beating like a horse’s hooves in his chest. “Jim...in case my homecoming date ends up killing me tonight...” Spock took his hand and pulled him close. “I just want you to know-”

He was cut off as Jim’s lips crashed gently into his. Spock felt his face turn absolutely red as he and Jim kissed. Jim’s arms wound around his neck and Spock’s hugged his back. It was awkward and maybe a bit too wet...but it was absolutely perfect. Jim sighed against him, and it sounded like absolute heaven against Spock’s ears.

“Awww, isn't that sweet?” cooed a voice mockingly.

Spock and Jim reluctantly broke apart, and the gang looked up to see T.S.’s lackeys, Finnegan, Mitchell, and Janice; standing down the hall, sneering at them. “I hate sweet!” Janice snapped.

“You guys are a part of this too,” Spock said, crossing his arms. “Why am I not surprised.”

Finnegan snickered, and the trio started marching toward them.

“Go take care of Nexus,” Bones growled to Spock, conjuring a fireball and glaring menacingly at their assailants coming up the hall. “We'll handle these idiots.”

Spock looked at Jim. Jim smiled at him softly. “Go,” he whispered.

Spock nodded, then turned and ran straight through a wall of lockers, leaving a man sized hole behind.

“He probably coulda just used a door,” said Scotty said, mystified.

“Come on,” whispered Nyota, dragging him away.

“What for?”

“We have to hack into the computer and unlock the gym!” Nyota tugged Scotty away.

Bones gritted his teeth and throw a fireball at Finnegan, who simply supersped out of the way. “Come on, Flameboy. You can do better that!” Finnegan giggled and darted down a side hallway. Bones growled and took off after him.

“You’re _mine_ , Jim,” Janice hissed, and cloned herself into seven. Jim ducked and ran as the seven Janices cartwheeled and backflipped toward him.

Suddenly, the front of Pavel’s tux was grabbed by Gary’s elongated arm. “Guess that just leaves you and me, Popsicle!” Gary laughed.

“Ahhh!” Pavel cried, shaking himself free and running into the first safe space he could see—the boys’ bathroom.

“Come back and fight!” Gary shouted, stalking after him.

* * *

“ _Come on, sidekick! Aren't you gonna fight back?_ ” The Janices taunted in unison as they chased Jim.

“W-well I don’t know!” Jim stammered. “I mean, you’re definitely going to kill me if I don’t. But I also don’t believe in hitting girls either. But at the same time, I don’t want you to think that I think you’re weak just because you’re a girl! I’m a feminist, so I don’t really know what to do here! Plus I believe in peaceful resolutions instead of using my powers for violence-”

“ _I don't believe you even have any powers!_ ” the Janices taunted. She/they began to chant: “ _Go, Janice! Beat Jim! Go, Janice! Beat Jim!_ ”

Jim ran into the cafeteria, looking around desperately for an escape. The cheerleaders burst in after him, kicking and spinning. Finally, the original Janice hopped in front of him and punched him in the face. “ _Hmph_ ,” she hummed tauntingly. “Still a complete weakling, just like when we were dating. Can’t even stand up to a girl when she’s beating you up.”

Jim touched his aching cheek, then glared. “You know what? That’s it. I’m done being afraid of you! _No one_ should be hit by their partner, no matter the genders involved! You were an abusive girlfriend, and I deserve better!”

“Oh, like who? Your precious little Spocky?” Janice snorted. “You’re pathetic, Jim. You’ll latch onto anyone who pays you a little attention. You’re _worthless_.”

Jim trembled with rage. “Worthless? Oh, I’ll show you worthless.”

Suddenly another Jim sauntered through the door. “Am I still worthless if there’s two of me?”

Another followed from the other side. “How about three?”

“Or four?”

“How much is five worth, Janice?”

“Umm...” The Janices began to look nervous as more and more Jims appeared. “So what, you’re a cloner too?”

The oldest Jim stepped forward. “No. I’m a freakin’ _Time Lord_.”

“Who’s the warlock now, bitch?” the youngest Jim chimed in.

“ _Whoa,_ dude, you can’t use that word! At least not to a girl. That’s a derogatory term that’s been reclaimed by women!” said the oldest Jim.

“Oh, right. Sorry! I got carried away,” said the youngest Jim, blushing. “Sorry, Janice, I didn’t mean that as an insult on your gender.”

“Wait, why are you apologizing to her? She wants to _kill_ you!” the second Jim said.

“Well yeah, but he doesn’t have to be sexist about it,” argued the oldest Jim.

“It’s a microaggression,” shrugged the fifth Jim in agreement.

“Oh my god, shut _up,_ all of you!” Janice finally exclaimed. “Are we going to fight or what?!”

The Jims looked at each other, then turned in unison and glared at her, taking fight positions.

* * *

Gary kicked open a stall in the bathroom, peering in. “You can’t hide forever...”

He opened the next one and stared into the porcelain bowl. The tank gurgled softly.

Gary stared at the water in disbelief. Had Chekov actually _flushed himself down the toilet?_ “No way...” he whispered, leaning forward.

Suddenly Pavel solidified behind him and pushed him forward, _hard_. Gary’s head splashed into the water. Pavel stomped on the commode. “In Soviet Russia, _toilet flush you!_ ” he cried in triumph before racing out of the bathroom.

* * *

“I take you back, my dear Ambassador,” said Nexus, cradling baby Sarek as the other babies were loaded into a bus via a mechanical pulley device, “to your senior year at Superfleet Academy. A time before anyone knew what a technopath was. So a brilliant but misunderstood boy named Tolian Soran was written off as a science geek and stuck in sidekick class. He hatched a plan, so daring, _so visionary_ , to start his very own supervillain academy, and raise a generation of heroes from scratch as villains. But first, he had to destroy the very institution that _dared_ to spurn his genius! And now, so _many_ years later, that plan is complete. My only regret? That this may be the finest supervillain speech ever given...” Nexus looked down at Sarek and smiled, cooing, “And you don't even know what I'm saying!”

“But I do.”

Nexus looked up and Spock standing there above him on the steps of the school, glaring down at him. “Look. I'm sorry that my parents destroyed your dad,” he said. “Now put. My dad. _Down_.”

Baby Sarek grinned brightly at his son.

Nexus chuckled, putting Sarek on the pulley apparatus so he could be loaded into the bus with the others. “No one could defeat Nexus, darling. When the Bjorn exploded, I wasn't destroyed. I was merely turned into a baby.”

Spock’s eyes widened. “ _You?_ You mean...”

“That's right.” Nexus leered at him. “Nexus wasn't my father. Nexus _is me!_ ”

Spock gulped. “Oh my god...I almost made out with an _old man_.”

Nexus scowled at him, his helmet reappearing. His rocket boots ignited, and he flew up at Spock, grabbing him by the shirt collar and smashing him through the front doors of the school.

* * *

Jim brushed his hands together in self-satisfaction, looking down at the seven Janices tied up on the floor. “See? No violence necessary.” Jim turned to his other selves and said, “Gentleman, it was a pleasure.”

“Yeah, I’m very welcome,” joked one as the other Jims disappeared.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Jim said smugly. “My new _boyfriend_ might be needing my help.”

“Wait!” cried a Janice. “Don’t leave us here to die!”

“Nexus sabotaged the anti-gravity device!” shouted another.

“The whole school’s going to fall out of the sky!”

“We only have ten minutes!”

Jim’s eyes widened. “Oh _shit_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve already started working on the sequel ;)
> 
> Oh, and “Who’s the warlock now, bitch?” is what William Shatner said to Charlie Sheen at his roast XDDDDD


	13. Up in the Air

“Here's the anti-gravity room,” Jim said as they poured over schematics Scotty and Nyota had printed off.

“Didn't Nexus seal off every route?” Nyota asked.

“Hey, vat about zis conduit?” Pavel piped up, pointing to a trail on the map.

Bones snorted. “Yeah, right. You’d have to be a baby to fit in there. So unless one of y’all wants to grab one of the teachers...”

“Wait!” Scotty said brightly. “We don’t need a baby...” He slowly turned to Nyota.

Nyota frowned. “Oh, great,” she said.

* * *

“That’s it,” said Hikaru, standing up. “I’m not waiting around anymore. Wait here, baby, I’m gonna go help.”

“Okay,” said Ben. “Show the world what you can do!”

Hikaru grinned, kissed him, and ran off the bus.

* * *

“This is so stupid,” Nyota meowed as she slunk through the tiny tunnel, her cat body easily fitting through the narrow space. “Why not just ‘ask nicely’ for the school not to drop us to our deaths?”

“Evil technology, darlin’!” Scotty called apologetically down the tunnel. “It won’t listen to me.” He grinned at Pavel. “Look at that cute lil’ tail.”

Pavel stared at him incredulously. “Dude. She’s a _cat_.”

Scotty rolled his eyes.

“Okay, go about zree feet!” Pavel called to Nyota. “Zere should be an opening on your right!”

“You got it.”

“Find ze access panel, it leads to ze generator!”

“I'm on it!”

* * *

Meanwhile, Jim and Bones ran into the gym to help the babies, but they found the room empty. “Damn!” Jim swore. “He already took them!”

Just then, Spock and Nexus came crashing through the walls of the gym. Spock went skidding across the floor and Nexus picked himself up, panting. “Spock!” Jim cried, racing for him.

“Jim, _wait!_ ” Bones exclaimed.

Nexus grabbed Jim by the collar and with the strength of his superarmor, lobbed Jim through the large glass window. Jim flew through the air and dropped out of sight, falling over the side of the building to his death.

“NO!” Spock and Bones cried at the same time. Spock scrambled to his feet and dived out the window, tumbling after him.

Nexus chuckled darkly, turning to Bones. “And there goes your last chance of stopping me,” he bragged.

“We'll see about that!” said a voice from outside.

“Huh?” Nexus whirled around.

Spock had reappeared, holding Jim in his arms, floating in midair.

Bones’s mouth dropped open. “No way,” he whispered.

“Surprised?” Spock said, glaring at Nexus. “So am I.”

“You're _flying?_ ” Nexus exclaimed as Spock flew through the broken window and set Jim safely on the gym floor. “That's _impossible!_ ”

“‘Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go,’” Spock quoted. “And right now, you can go to _Hell!_ ”

He flew straight for Nexus and grabbed him up, lobbing him across the room. Nexus hit the wall and flopped to the floor like a rag doll.

Spock flew over to Jim and touched down on the floor in front of him. “Are you okay?” he said, tenderly cupping Jim’s face. “Are you hurt?”

Jim nodded dazedly. “You...you’re absolutely _amazing_ ,” he whispered, surging forward to kiss him urgently.

Bones’s gaze dropped to the floor, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

* * *

Finnegan was striding to the front doors so he could get on the bus before the school dropped out of the sky when he nearly smacked into Hikaru. “If I wasn’t in a hurry, I’d show you some pain,” he snickered. “But you’re not a threat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a bus to drive.”

Finnegan pushed past Hikaru and started to leave, but suddenly he was grabbed up and raised into the air. “Ah!” he cried, trying to wriggle from the...giant hand?

Hikaru turned Finnegan to face him, his body now about 10 times bigger than usual. “There's only one person authorized to transport superheroes. And that's Hikaru Sulu, Bus Driver.”

Hikaru punched a hole through the front window of the school with his massive fist, then reached through and hung Finnegan from the flagpole by his _underwear_. Finnegan howled at the atomic wedgie.

Hikaru smirked at him. “And _I'm_ Hikaru Sulu. _Bus Driver._ ”

“But you’re a normie!” Finnegan shouted. “How did you get powers?!”

“Fell in a vat of toxic waste two days ago!” Hikaru laughed. “Woke up to find my bed the size of a matchbox!”

“Yeah, you go, giant boyfriend!” Ben cheered from the ground.

* * *

“I found the generator...I think,” Nyota said, her meow echoing through the narrow tunnel. She sniffed curiously at a box attached to the mechanism with wires.

“Claw ze wire to ze scrambler!” Pavel shouted to her.

“The red one!” Scotty added.

“Guys, we have a problem!”

“Vat?”

“ _Cats_   _can’t see red!_ ”

* * *

“Okay, now we have to find the babies!” Jim said once he and Spock were finished kissing. They didn’t notice as Nexus hazily touched a button on his wrist. They _did_ notice, however, when the school began to drop, _fast_.

“Oh no!” Jim cried over the rushing wind. “They didn’t fix the anti-gravity device in time!”

“We’re gonna die!” Bones shouted.

Spock looked out the open window, a plan forming in his head. “Not if I can help it!” he cried.

“Spock, _wait!_ ” Jim called. “You’ve never lifted that much before!”

Spock looked at him. “I have to try! Do you trust me?”

Jim nodded. “With my life.” He pulled him into his arms and squeezed tightly. “Be careful!”

Spock kissed his forehead. “I love you,” he said. Then he turned and jumped out the window, flying up underneath the school. He planted his arms on the base and push with all his might. The school weighed heavily on him. Spock had never felt more pressure in his life.

The ground beneath him grew closer and closer at an alarming rate.

* * *

“Cut the wire! Cut the wire!” Scotty and Pavel screamed down the tube as the school plummeted further and further.

Nyota squinted at the wires helplessly. “Oh screw it!” she hissed. She grabbed one whose color she couldn’t determine, guessing that was her best chance of it being the red one, with her claw and yanked, snapping the wire.

The school’s rapid descent, to their delight, slowed. Nyota let out a breath of relief.

* * *

At the base of the school, Spock felt his burden suddenly get lighter. Gritting his teeth, he pushed up and the school’s descent ground to a halt. Spock laughed. They’d done it. They’d saved the day!

Spock looked down. He was hovering mere feet over someone’s house. A little girl standing in the backyard with a baseball mitt was staring up at him with eyes as big as dinner plates.

“Whew,” said Spock, smiling to the little girl to reassure her. “ _That_ could have been messy.” He winked.

The little girl grinned widely, her two front teeth missing.

“Good night,” Spock said to her, pushing up and flying back into the stratosphere with the school.

“Saavik!” called a woman from inside the house. “Time for bed, young lady!”

“Mommy, Mommy, I saw a boy who could _fly!_ ” Saavik shouted, running inside.

* * *

“Now what?” Jim said, after the school was back in its proper place in the sky, and the baddies were all locked in the detention room. They were still stuck with a bus load of babies.

Bones shrugged. “I dunno. Wait for ‘em to grow up?”

“Perhaps I can be of assistance,” squeaked a voice. The gang turned their heads to see baby Doctor Daystrom staring at them, fully lucid.

Bones gingerly picked him up. “You, uh, still with us, Doc?”

“Oh yes. I was a vewwy advanced child,” said Daystrom. “It should only take me a couple of hours to weconfigure the Bjorn. Mr. McCoy, would you pwease cawwy me to the Mad Science Wab?”

Bones shrugged. “Okay.”

“And Mr. McCoy...I wegret to inform you that I am in need of a change.” Daystrom smiled guiltily.

Everyone took a big step back from Bones, who scowled and muttered, “I knew comin’ to this dance was a bad idea.”

* * *

“People, if you've already been de-Bjorned, please find your clothes, grab a baby, and report to the Science Lab,” Georgiou directed, now back to her proper age.

“Mom? Dad?” Spock cautiously approached his parents, who were also back to the right age.

“Hey, there’s my big hero,” Amanda said, hugging him tightly. “I always knew you’d take after me!”

“Guys...I just want to say sorry, because this whole thing was my fault,” Spock said.

“Honey, you can't blame yourself,” Amanda said.

“Of course not,” Sarek agreed. “How could you know your date was a secretly de-aged supervillain?”

“No, that's not it,” Spock sighed guiltily. “You gave me one rule, and I broke it. I took him into the Sanctum, and that's how he got the Bjorn. The whole party was a trap.”

“And so was the homecoming,” Amanda concluded. “Spock, we _all_ fell into Nexus’s trap, but _you_ defeated him.”

“You saved Superfleet Academy,” Sarek added, smiling proudly at his boy. “And everyone in her.”

“I didn’t do it alone,” Spock said, smiling at his friends. Jim caught his eye and waved.

Spock smiled as Amanda hugged him again. “Does this mean I’m not grounded anymore?”

“Oh no, you’re definitely still grounded,” Amanda said. She chuckled, patting his back. “But we’re _very_ proud of you.”

“Sarek, Amanda.” Chris came over with the Hero Of The Year award. “Even though it appears Soran only came up with this award as a way to lure you to the dance and your ultimate doom...you might as well take it home, yeah? Something for your troubles.”

“We would be honored to accept this award,” Sarek said, stepping forward to take it from his old sidekick. He then shared a knowing smile with his wife. “But I'm afraid this does not belong to us.”

“It belongs to _them_ ,” Amanda said as they walked over to Scotty, Nyota, Pavel, and Hikaru. “The sidekicks. I mean, Hero Support.”

“It would be more logical to call them what they really are, my wife,” Sarek said as Spock leaned against the wall with Bones and Jim. He slipped his hand into Jim’s, smiling at him. Sarek held out the award to the sidekicks. “ _Heroes_.”

Hikaru grinned and grasped the statuette. Scotty and Pavel did as well. Nyota rolled her eyes, smiling reluctantly, putting her hand on top.

* * *

“What a waste,” said Georgiou, looking down at the villains in disgust. “I can't do anything more to help you.” She rolled her eyes and strode out of the detention room.

Nexus grit his teeth, his hands curled into fists. “I went through puberty _twice._..for _this?_ ”

* * *

“I have de-Bjorned all the babies,” Dr. Daystrom said as he stood at the podium, everyone back to normal and gathered in the gym, “and destroyed that horrible weapon forever.” He clicked a remote and catchy rock music came on over the loudspeaker.” Let's boogie!” he exclaimed.

Everyone cheered and began dancing to the music in celebration. Daystrom stepped off the podium and into the crowd. Suddenly, someone grabbed his hand. “Richard...”

Daystrom turned and found Chris standing there. The Hero Support teacher smiled shyly. “Dance with me?”

Daystrom exhaled. “I thought you’d never ask.” He pulled Chris into a tango dip.

* * *

“Aren’t you worried people will be looking for us?” Jim giggled as Spock nuzzled his neck.

Spock smirked, hugging him tighter. “It’d be a hell of a manhunt.”

Jim kissed him. “You better not drop me,” he said.

“If I did,” said Spock, stroking his cheek, “I’d be right there to catch you.”

Jim smiled, leaning in for another kiss. Their feet dangled, their bodies suspended yards above the roof of the school, the cool clear air of the atmosphere chilling their skin, their faces illuminated in starlight. Spock thought to himself that he could definitely get used to this.

How strange it was. His boyfriend became his arch enemy, his arch enemy became his...well, _friend_ was a strong word, but at least he and Bones weren’t trying to kill each other anymore. And his best friend had become his boyfriend. But hey. That's high school.

**The end.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look out for the sequel, coming soon!


End file.
